Transumbilical endoscopic surgery: History, present situation and perspectives

Abstract

Transumbilical endoscopic surgery or laparo-endoscopic single site (LESS) surgery has become an exciting area of surgical development as innovation continues to move in the 21(st) century to minimally invasive surgery. The history, present situation and perspectives are reviewed and the nomenclature of this technique is discussed in this article. The range of this technique has been applied in almost all abdominal diseases, surgeries for morbid obesity, hernia and so on, in recent years. It is estimated that 50%-80% of traditional laparoscopic surgery could be performed transumbilically in the next five years according to the LESSCAR consensus. Although the concept of transumbilical laparoscopic surgery is gaining traction rapidly and the instruments have been improved greatly, we should not advocate for slightly improved cosmetic value over safety. Multicenter, randomized and clinical trials are necessary to further elucidate the safety and efficiency of this new technique. Research that examines the efficacy of the new instruments on the market may be helpful to simplify the confusing landscape of new and novel products designed for this purpose.