Single-port robotic cholecystectomy: Early experience from 12 cases

Abstract

Introduction: Single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SPLC) is a technical concept to reduced pain and improve cosmetic results when compared to multi-port cholecystectomy. However, SPLC is associated with technical limitation due to the enhanced complexity of the approach and limited number of specialized instruments or platforms. On the other hand, using a robotic platform may overcome these problems and enable more precise surgical actions by increasing freedom of movement and by restoring intuitive instrument control. In this presentation, we report the early clinical experience of our first 12 sing-port robotic cholecystectomy (SPRC). Method: Between November 2016 and July 2017, twelve patients underwent SPRC with the da Vinci Xi robot and single-site instrumentation. We retrospectively reviewed clinical data on those patients. Result: All of 12 patients had completion of SPRC. ten patients were female and two was male. Average patient age was 43.3±11.8 years and BMI was 22.4±1.4 kg/m2. Seven patients (58.3%) were diagnosed with chronic calculous cholecystitis. Four patients (33.3%) underwent operation for polypoid lesions of the gallbladder. One patient (8.3%) was diagnosed with acute calculous cholecystitis. The mean operation time (skin-to-skin) was 83.9±30.7 min, docking time was 13.25±8.1 min, and console time was 42.1±26.4 min. The intraoperative blood loss was negligible. The mean Visual Analog Pain Scale score 6hr after the surgery was 2.9±0.4. The mean length of hospital stay average postoperative hospital stay was 2.3±1.0 day. There were no intraoperative complication and one patient developed seroma on port site. Conclusion: Robotic single-port cholecystectomy appears feasible and safe in our early experience.