Laparoendoscopic Single-site Surgery Technique Research Articles

The Effects of a Laparoscopy by Single-Port Endoscopic Access in Benign Adnexal Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial

To evaluate whether laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) offers advantages over conventional laparoscopy (CL) in benign adnexal surgery. Randomized controlled study. Gynecology-Obstetrics Unit of the University Hospital of the Conception in Marseille, France. Patients older than 18 years requiring ovarian cystectomy or salpingo-oophorectomy by laparoscopy for symptomatic ovarian cysts requiring benign or prophylactic surgery. In the case of ovarian cysts, premenopausal patients typically undergo a unilateral cystectomy, whereas postmenopausal patients undergo a unilateral or bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy upon a patient's request. In cases requiring prophylactic surgery, a bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy was performed. All participants were randomly assigned to either the LESS or the CL group. Patients in both groups reported similar levels of pain at 24 hours: Simple Numerical Scale was 1.3 (standard deviation, 1.5) in the LESS group vs 1.7 (standard deviation, 1.5) in the CL group (p = .12), and there were no significant differences in postoperative pain at 2 hours, 4 hours, 6 hours, and 7 days. Furthermore, there was no difference in analgesic consumption. Regarding intraoperative criteria, the only difference was the longer operating time in the LESS group than the CL group. We also found that patients' satisfaction with their scar at 1 month may be higher with LESS than with CL. There was no significant difference between the 2 techniques in postoperative pain, although the LESS technique necessitated a longer operative time than the CL technique, while providing better aesthetic result patients.

Laparoscopic Single-Port versus Mini-Laparoscopic Hysterectomy: An International Study

Objectives: Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) and mini-laparoscopic surgery (Mini-LPS) have been performed with comparable results to conventional laparoscopy. However, there are few data on the comparison between them. Our main objective was to compare LESS and Mini-LPS in terms of surgical time, postoperative pain, and hospital stay in patients who underwent hysterectomy for benign pathology. Design: It is a retrospective international multicentric study carried out in 5 centers including 2 Spanish and 3 Italian. Methods: Data from patients who underwent hysterectomy for benign pathology between January 1, 2010, and December 31, 2015, were reviewed. We collected the clinical-pathological characteristics of the patients and the perioperative results. The main variables of the study were surgical time, the switch to oral analgesia, and the hospital stay. The two comparison groups in the study included patients undergoing hysterectomy for benign pathology by LESS or by Mini-LPS. The decision to perform the type of procedure was left to the discretion of the surgeon, based primarily on the surgical skills and experience of the center. All data were collected retrospectively by an online encrypted platform. Results: 161 patients were included in the study. 104 (64.6%) patients underwent LESS hysterectomy and 57 (35.4%) Mini-LPS. Median surgical time was significantly longer in the LESS group when compared to the Mini-LPS group (120 vs. 75 min, respectively; p < 0.001). Moreover, longer median hospital stay was observed in the LESS group compared to Mini-LPS (48 vs. 36 h, respectively; p < 0.001). Conversion of the technique to conventional LPS was performed in 4 (2.5%) patients, all of them in the Mini-LPS group (p = 0.015). Limitations: It is a retrospective study with the biases that this implies. Furthermore, some variables have been incompletely registered in the database, which implies loss of information. This is a nonrandomized study since the decision to intervene with one or another technique was made by the surgeon, which generated 2 nonhomogeneous groups in terms of the number of patients. On the other hand, all the patients who underwent Mini-LPS hysterectomy belonged to the same center, which may have made these results center dependent. Conclusions: Significant shorter surgical time and shorter hospital stay were observed in patients undergoing Mini-LPS hysterectomy compared to LESS technique; however, intraoperative complications related to instrumentation flaws were higher in the mini-LPS group that required conversion to standard laparoscopy in all cases. Both ultra-minimally invasive techniques seem safe to perform hysterectomies for benign pathology and emphasize the importance in surgical training to adapt them to our current practice.

The Learning Curve of Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery in Benign Gynecological Diseases

Objective To analyze and draw the learning curve of laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) in various benign gynecological diseases, so as to provide a reference for applying this cutting-edge technique. Methods A retrospective analysis of LESS was conducted. Factors influencing the LESS learning process were assessed using Cox’s proportional hazards regression. The cumulative sum (CUSUM) value and the learning curve were calculated and visualized based on operation time (OT), blood loss (BL), conventional laparoscopic surgery (CLS), conversion rate (CV), and complications (CP). The CUSUM value was defined as the sum of CUSUMOT, CUSUMBL, CUSUMCV, and CUSUMCP. Results A total of 445 cases, including adnexectomies (n = 147), ovarian cystectomies (n = 175), and myomectomies (n = 123) were analyzed. Multivariate regression analysis indicated that adhesion grade (HR, 1.462; 95% CI, 1.016–1.994; p = .045), surgical type (HR, 1.283; 95% CI, 1.042–1.429; p = .024), and surgeon CLS experience (HR, 1.372; 95% CI, 1.097–2.246; p = .012) were independent factors predicting surgeons’ mastery of the LESS technique. Among gynecologists with CLS experience, the cutoff points were 17, 20, and 27 cases for adnexectomy, ovarian cystectomy, and myomectomy, respectively. For those without CLS experience, the corresponding cutoff values were 19, 27, and 35 cases. Conclusion The learning curve of LESS for benign gynecological diseases indicates a stepwise process, during which the surgeon’s CLS experience is the key, especially in ovarian cystectomy and myomectomy. For the training of young gynecologists, CLS should be emphasized in the early stage, and LESS should be introduced gradually.

Laparoscopic single site (LESS) and classic video-laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly: A single centre experience

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold-standard surgical method used to treat gallbladder diseases. Recently Laparoendoscopic single site surgery (LESS) has gained greater interest and diffusion for the surgical treatment of several pathologies. In elderly patients, just few randomized controlled trials are present in the literature that confirm the clinical advantages of LESS compared with the classic laparoscopic procedures. We present in this paper the preliminary results of this randomized prospective study regarding the feasibility and safety of LESS cholecystectomy versus classic laparoscopic technique. We demonstrated that LESS technique compared with traditional technique show some advantages like: acceptable operative times, lower post-operative discomfort and sometimes reduction added complications. In addition we also demonstrate that fewer incisions and less scarring which mean less pain, and fewer parietal complications are related to this surgical procedure. In conclusion in the elderly LESS cholecystectomy technique is to be considered a suitable alternative to traditional three-port cholecystectomy.

Outcomes of laparoscopic adrenalectomy: Conventional technique versus laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery

ObjectivePerform a comparative analysis of the outcomes of conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LC) and the newly introduced laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) over ten years. Material and methodWe retrospectively reviewed the experience of a single surgeon from our medical center with laparoscopic adrenalectomy, either through LC or LESS, with 75 patients between August 2005 and June 2015. Here we describe: age, sex, size, lateralization, preoperative diagnosis, total operating time, intraoperative bleeding, conversion to open surgery, mean hospital stay, intra- and postoperative complications and histopathology report.We used Fischer's and the Chi-squared tests to compare categorical data and Student's t-test for a comparison of the means with a normal distribution. Statistical significance was determined when p<0.05. ResultsLC was performed in 51 patients, and LESS in 24 patients. No statistical significance was found for total operating time (LC: 103.9±13.21min versus LESS: 101.46±13.65min; p=0.07), estimated bleeding (LC: 258.82±136.92cc versus LESS: 131.25±36.74cc; p=0.46), intraoperative complications (5 cases in LC, none in LESS; p=0.47), nor for postoperative complications (two in LC versus one in LESS; p=0.69), as cataloged according to the modified Clavien classification system. We detected a statistical significance difference in the comparisons of the mean hospital stay, which was reduced in LESS (LC: 3.55±0.69 days versus LESS: 2.21±0.31 days; p=0.01). ConclusionsAdrenalectomy with LC is the approach of choice for surgical treatment of adrenal pathologies. The LESS technique is safe, improves the cosmetic results, and does not increase mortality if performed by experienced teams.

Resultados de la suprarrenalectomía laparoscópica: técnica convencional vs puerto único laparoscópico

ObjectivePerform a comparative analysis of the outcomes of conventional laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LC) and the newly introduced laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) over ten years. Material and methodWe retrospectively reviewed the experience of a single surgeon from our medical centre with laparoscopic adrenalectomy, either through LC or LESS, with 75 patients between August 2005 and June 2015. Here we describe: age, sex, size, lateralization, preoperative diagnosis, total operating time, intraoperative bleeding, conversion to open surgery, mean hospital stay, intra- and postoperative complications and histopathology report.We used Fischer's and the Chi-squared tests to compare categorical data and Student's T-test for a comparison of the means with a normal distribution. Statistical significance was determined when p<0.05. ResultsLC was performed in 51 patients, and LESS in 24 patients. No statistical significance was found for total operating time (LC: 103.9±13.21min vs. LESS: 101.46±13.65min; p=0.07), estimated bleeding (LC: 258.82±136.92cc vs. LESS: 131,25±36,74cc; p=0.46), intraoperative complications (5 cases in LC, none in LESS; p=0.47), nor for postoperative complications (two in LC vs. one in LESS; p=0.69), as catalogued according to the modified Clavien classification system. We detected a statistical significance difference in the comparisons of the mean hospital stay, which was reduced in LESS (LC: 3.55±0.69 days vs. LESS: 2.21±0.31 days; p=0.01). ConclusionsAdrenalectomy with LC is the approach of choice for surgical treatment of adrenal pathologies. The LESS technique is safe, improves the cosmetic results, and does not increase mortality if performed by experienced teams.

Laparo-endoscopic single site surgery in pediatrics: Feasibility and surgical outcomes from a preliminary prospective Canadian experience.

Laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is becoming an alternative to standard laparoscopic surgery. Proposed advantages include enhanced cosmesis and faster recovery. We assessed the early post-operative surgical outcomes of LESS surgery utilizing different instruments in the pediatric urological population in Canada. We prospectively captured data on all patients undergoing LESS at our institution between February 2011 and August 2012. This included patient age, operative time, length of stay, complications and short-term surgical outcomes. Different instruments/devices were used to perform the procedures. Access was achieved through a transumbilical incision. A total of 16 LESS procedures were performed, including seven pyeloplasties, four unilateral and one bilateral varicocelectomies, two simple nephrectomies, one renal cyst decortication and one pyelolithotomy. There was no statistical difference in the operative times, hospital length of stay and cost (pyeloplasty only) in patients undergoing pyeloplasty and varicocelectomy using the LESS technique when compared to an age matched cohort of patients managed with the traditional laparoscopic approach. One pyeloplasty in the LESS group required conversion to open due to a small intra-renal pelvis. There were no immediate or short term post-operative complications; however, one patient experienced a decrease in renal function status post LESS pyeloplasty. Since all procedures were performed by a vastly experienced surgeon at a tertiary center, the generalizability of the results cannot be assessed. There are only a few series that have assessed the role of LESS in pediatric urological surgery. Although our experience is limited by a heterogeneous group of patients with a short follow-up period, the present cohort demonstrates the safety and feasibility of LESS. Further evaluation with randomized studies is required to better assess the role of LESS in pediatric urology.

Retroperitoneoscopic single site renal biopsy surgery: right indications for the right technique.

BacgroundLaparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) has been developed in an attempt to further reduce the morbidity and scarring associated with laparoscopic surgery. In patients in whom there are indications to perform a laparoscopic renal biopsy, LESS surgery is a valid alternative to mini invasive surgery and is becoming more common. We report our experience on 14 renal biopsy procedures performed in a retroperitoneal LESS.MethodsLESS renal biopsy was performed in 14 patients 18 to 80 years old (mean age 58.3 years) during a 36 month period. All procedures were performed by a single operator. The patient was in a standard flank position. The procedure was performed using a 2.5 cm, single incision via a retroperitoneal access at the Petit’s triangle. A 5 mm biopsy forceps was used to collect the specimen under direct vision, and haemostasis was obtained with an Argon beam probe and the application of oxidized regenerated cellulose gauze.ResultsBiopsy was performed successfully in all cases. Mean operative time was 52.64 min, blood loss was minimal, and the hospital stay ranged from 12 to 24 hours. None of the patients required narcotics or additional analgesia in the postoperative period. No postoperative complications occurred.ConclusionsThe LESS technique is safe, reliable (100% success), easy to learn, and offers subjective cosmetic benefits to the patient. Minimal hospitalization requirement following retroperitoneal LESS biopsy is an additional timely advantage over laparoscopic renal biopsy. We think that with the right indications (marked obesity, failure of previous percutaneous biopsy attempts, a solitary kidney and coagulopathy) LESS renal biopsy is a good alternative to laparoscopy. Our next step will be a randomized prospective study of LESS compared with laparoscopy for renal biopsy to support our findings.

Single-Incision Transumbilical Surgery (SITUS) versus Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery and conventional laparoscopic surgery: a prospective randomized comparative study of performance with novices in a dry laboratory

To evaluate the Single-Incision Transumbilical Surgery (SITUS) technique as compared to an established laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) technique (Single-Port Laparoscopic Surgery, SPLS) and conventional laparoscopy (CLS) in a surgical simulator model. Sixty-three medical students without previous laparoscopic experience were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (SITUS, SPLS and CLS). Subjects were asked to perform five standardized tasks of increasing difficulty adopted from the Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery curriculum. Statistical evaluation included task completion times and accuracy. Overall performances of all tasks (except precision cutting) were significantly faster and of higher accuracy in the CLS and SITUS groups than in the SPLS group (p = 0.004 to p < 0.001). CLS and SITUS groups alone showed no significant difference in performance times and accuracy measurements for all tasks (p = 0.048 to p = 0.989). SITUS proved to be a simple, but highly effective technique to overcome restrictions of SPLS. In a surgical simulator model, novices were able to achieve task performances comparable to CLS and did significantly better than using a port-assisted LESS technique such as SPLS. The demonstrated advantages of SITUS may be attributed to a preservation of the basic principles of conventional laparoscopy, such as the use of straight instruments and an adequate degree of triangulation.

Current state of single-port transumbilical surgery in urology: Challenges and applications

ContextLaparoscopic surgery in urology is considered to be an important advance, although it is not exempt from some morbidity associated to the use of multiple trocars and specifically to the extraction of the specimen. In order to decrease this morbidity and improve esthetics, other techniques are being developed, such as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). It is aimed to review the current status of laparoendoscopic single site surgery in urology. Acquisition of evidenceA nonsystematic review has been carried out by means of the bibliographic search using the terms LESS and Urology from 2007 to 2012. The current LESS experience in urology is described, and its principal indications and the different single site devices and instruments available on the market are described. Synthesis of evidenceLESS surgery arose as one more step in the constant evolution of minimally invasive surgery in an attempt to improve esthetics, reduce surgical trauma and decrease pain and the post-operative complications associated to the conventional laparoscopy with multiple trocars. Since it was first described in 2007, the experience has been increasing exponentially and the LESS technique, whether assisted or not by robot, is becoming consolidated for a large spectrum of urological indications (both in oncological and reconstructive surgery) on a much greater scale than the NOTES technique. Even though most of the existing data are not randomized and very rarely comparative, with the selection bias that this represents, it seems clear that the esthetic benefit and analgesic control associated to the LESS surgery is real and reproducible. The complications associated to it are greater in cases of major oncology surgery and are due more to the technique itself then to the approach. ConclusionsAlthough the real benefit of the LESS surgery in urology cannot be appropriately quantified, the cosmetic improvement, less pain and greater patient satisfaction with their wound are clear. Appropriate training in this type of procedures in centers having large volumes and the continuous technical improvements in the instrumental development by the biomedical industry has resulted in the fact that the transumbilical LESS technique in urology has been born to stay.

Transumbilical Single-Incision Laparoscopic Splenectomy Plus Pericardial Devascularization Using Conventional Instruments: Initial Experience of 5 Cases

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) has been proposed for several intra-abdominal surgical interventions. However, application of the LESS technique in portal hypertension is still in its infancy. We report in this article a new technique of LESS splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization with conventional laparoscopic instruments in patients with portal hypertension. From January 2010 to April 2012, LESS splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization was performed on 5 patients with portal hypertension. Surgical techniques and short-term outcomes were summarized and analyzed retrospectively. All the operations were successful with a mean operative duration of 252 minutes (range, 220-270 minutes), intraoperative blood loss of 290 mL (range, 250-350 mL), and hospital stay of 8.2 days (range, 7-9 days). No intraoperative or postoperative complications were recorded. The umbilical incision healed well with a satisfactory cosmetic effect. LESS splenectomy plus pericardial devascularization is feasible when performed by experienced laparoscopic surgeons and may offer safety comparable to that of the conventional laparoscopic operation.

Laparoendoskopische Single-site-Chirurgie in der Urologie durch Einsatz eines wieder verwendbaren Systems

Many disposable platforms have been available for laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) for a long time. Besides technical challenges cost remains the limiting factor for the widespread use of LESS. We present our experiences with the first completely reusable LESS platform. We performed LESS procedures in 52 patients, including nephrectomy (n=18), adrenalectomy (2), partial nephrectomy (3), pyeloplasty (4), renal cyst ablation (4), pelvic lymphadenectomy (15) and lymphocele ablation (6). All procedures were carried out using a novel reusable single-port device (X-ConeR, Karl-Storz) with a simplified combination of standard and preformed instruments. Perioperative and demographic data including a visual analogue pain scale (VAS) were obtained. Complications were recorded using the Clavien classification. The mean age of the patients was 50.04 years. Conversion to standard laparoscopy was necessary in 3 cases and the additional use of a 3 mm needle instrument in 6 cases. There were no open conversions. Intraoperative and postoperative complications occurred in 3 (Clavien II in 2 and III in 1) cases. Mean operating time was 110, 90, and 89 min and hospital stay was 4.9, 3.1 and 3.6 days for nephrectomy, pelvic lymphadenectomy, and pyeloplasty, respectively. The mean VAS was 2.13, 1.07 and 1.5 while blood loss was 81.3 ml, 25.67 ml and 17.5 ml, respectively. The LESS technique with a completely reusable platform is applicable to various indications in urology yielding favorable functional and cosmetic results. This novel simplified combination of instruments facilitates handling and shortens the learning curve. Reusable materials may help to reduce cost leading to a wider acceptance of LESS.

Estado actual de la cirugía transumbilical por puerto único en urología: retos y aplicaciones

ContextLaparoscopic surgery in urology is considered to be an important advance, although it is not exempt from some morbidity associated to the use of multiple trocars and specifically to the extraction of the specimen. In order to decrease this morbidity and improve esthetics, other techniques are being developed, such as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). It is aimed to review the current status of laparoendoscopic single site surgery in urology. Acquisition of evidenceA nonsystematic review has been carried out by means of the bibliographic search using the terms LESS and Urology from 2007 to 2012. The current LESS experience in urology is described, and its principal indications and the different single site devices and instruments available on the market are described. Synthesis of evidenceLESS surgery arose as one more step in the constant evolution of minimally invasive surgery in an attempt to improve esthetics, reduce surgical trauma and decrease pain and the post-operative complications associated to the conventional laparoscopy with multiple trocars. Since it was first described in 2007, the experience has been increasing exponentially and the LESS technique, whether assisted or not by robot, is becoming consolidated for a large spectrum of urological indications (both in oncological and reconstructive surgery) on a much greater scale than the NOTES technique. Even though most of the existing data are not randomized and very rarely comparative, with the selection bias that this represents, it seems clear that the esthetic benefit and analgesic control associated to the LESS surgery is real and reproducible. The complications associated to it are greater in cases of major oncology surgery and are due more to the technique itself then to the approach. ConclusionsAlthough the real benefit of the LESS surgery in urology cannot be appropriately quantified, the cosmetic improvement, less pain and greater patient satisfaction with their wound are clear. Appropriate training in this type of procedures in centers having large volumes and the continuous technical improvements in the instrumental development by the biomedical industry has resulted in the fact that the transumbilical LESS technique in urology has been born to stay.

Laparoscopic Single Site Surgery: Initial Experience and Description of Techniques in the Pediatric Population

Recently new approaches to laparoscopic surgery, named natural orifice transluminal endoscopy and laparoendoscopic single site surgery, have been proposed to improve the cosmesis and decrease the morbidity associated with multiple ports sites. Experience with laparoendoscopic single site surgery technique in pediatric urology is still limited. We present our initial results with this technique in children. Since laparoendoscopic single site surgery received Food and Drug Administration approval, 11 patients have undergone a total of 14 procedures at our department, including nephrectomy due to nonfunctioning kidneys in 4, removal of bilateral intra-abdominal gonads in 2, unilateral varicocelectomy in 4 and bilateral varicocelectomy in 1. In all patients a multi-channel single laparoscopic port inserted through a 2 cm skin incision was used to achieve access to the abdominal cavity. All patients underwent laparoendoscopic single site surgery without complications within a reasonable operative time. None required conversion to open or conventional laparoscopic surgery. All except 1 patient were discharged home on the day of surgery or the day after surgery. Our initial data show that laparoendoscopic single site surgery is an effective technique for various pediatric and adolescent urology indications. Further application of this procedure in a large patient group will show whether there is a place for laparoendoscopic single site surgery in the pediatric urology surgical armamentarium.

Novel laparoscopic techniques in gynecologic surgery

The practice of gynecologic surgery has been revolutionized by laparoscopic techniques in the past decades. Nowadays minimal invasive procedures are feasible and safe standard options in the management of most benign and malignant gynecologic diseases. Natural orifices transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) have been developed in an attempt to further reduce the morbidity and scarring with minimal invasive procedures. These techniques share a common conception that a reduction in the number of transcutaneous points of access may benefit patients in terms of port-related complications, risk of hernia formation, recovery time, pain and cosmetics by potentially performing scarless surgery. The development of LESS has been facilitated by the concept of scarless surgical procedures. Increasing experience revealed by recent publications have allowed for the expansion of NOTES and LESS techniques in the gynecologic surgery. Almost all laparoscopic procedures can be performed by acquiring these concepts. Although these surgical methods are feasible and safe, certain technical problems (e.g. loss of triangulation, problems of visualization, ergonomic considerations) has yet to be solved and several questions must be answered before LESS and NOTES could gain widespread acceptance as single procedures. Despite successful technical developments these methods remain investigational approaches and refinement of indications as well as further development of instrumentation are expected to define its area of future application.

Emergency Transumbilical Single-Incision Laparoscopic Splenectomy for the Treatment of Traumatic Rupture of the Spleen: Report of the First Case and Literature Review

The authors report 1 case of emergency splenectomy for the treatment of traumatic rupture of the spleen where a laparoendoscopic single-site surgery technique was performed. A 17-year-old male with a diagnosis of traumatic rupture of the spleen underwent emergency transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy. Three ports, including 5 mm and 10 mm ports, were placed through a transumbilical incision for the procedure. Intraoperative and postoperative courses were uneventful. The patient was discharged home 8 days after the surgery in a stable condition. Discussion. The Laparoendoscopic single site surgery technique is still in its infancy, but because of its reduced invasion and ideal aesthetic results, it is well received by patients. Improvements are needed to widen its application. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report where an emergency laparoendoscopic single site surgery technique has been used in the management of a ruptured spleen.

935 SINGLE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE IN APPLICATION OF LAPAROENDOSCOPIC SINGLE-SITE SURGERY IN ADULT AND PEDIATRIC UROLOGIC SURGERY

You have accessJournal of UrologyTechnology & Instruments: Robotics/Laparoscopy1 Apr 2011935 SINGLE ACADEMIC INSTITUTION EXPERIENCE IN APPLICATION OF LAPAROENDOSCOPIC SINGLE-SITE SURGERY IN ADULT AND PEDIATRIC UROLOGIC SURGERY Seth Cohen, George Chiang, Marvalyn DeCambre, Jonathan Silberstein, Sean Stroup, Jeffrey Woldrich, Wassim Bazzi, and Ithaar Derweesh Seth CohenSeth Cohen San Diego, CA More articles by this author , George ChiangGeorge Chiang San Diego, CA More articles by this author , Marvalyn DeCambreMarvalyn DeCambre San Diego, CA More articles by this author , Jonathan SilbersteinJonathan Silberstein San Diego, CA More articles by this author , Sean StroupSean Stroup San Diego, CA More articles by this author , Jeffrey WoldrichJeffrey Woldrich San Diego, CA More articles by this author , Wassim BazziWassim Bazzi San Diego, CA More articles by this author , and Ithaar DerweeshIthaar Derweesh San Diego, CA More articles by this author View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/j.juro.2011.02.853AboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookTwitterLinked InEmail INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Adoption of Laparoendoscopic Single-site surgery (LESS) into pediatric surgical practice represents a further development of the minimally invasive surgical armamentarium for pediatric urology. The extension of LESS has been undertaken in partnership between the adult and pediatric urologic surgeons at the University of California, San Diego. METHODS Adult LESS (A-LESS) commenced in 1/2009, followed by initiation of Pediatric LESS (P-LESS) in 11/2009. Prior to initiation of P-LESS, pediatric urology faculty (GS, MD) proceeded with LESS-modified Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons/Fundamentals of Laparoscopic Surgery curriculum emphasizing didactics, dry simulation drills, and preclinical live experience in partnership with the adult urologic surgeon (IHD). A-LESS were performed by transperitoneal (40) and retroperitoneal approach (20). Most (52) were performed by a single site approach with multiple trocars. All P-LESS were performed by transperitoneal SILS port (Covidien, Mansfield, MA, USA). Patient demographics, intraoperative parameters, outcomes, and complications were recorded. RESULTS 60 A-LESS and 15 P-LESS have been performed. A-LESS included 29 radical and 17 partial nephrectomies, 6 nephrectomies with renal vein thrombectomies, and 7 adrenalectomies. P-LESS included 7 unilateral and 4 bilateral nephrectomies, 1 ureteral reimplant, 1 varicocelectomy, and 2 orchidopexies. One adult case each required conversion to open, multiport laparoscopy, or placement of second trocar at separate site. One P-LESS converted to open surgery. Median age (years, range) for A-LESS was 62.5 (24–85.6), and for P-LESS was 6 (1.2–17.9 years). Median hospital stay (hours) for A-LESS was 60, and for P-LESS was 51.6. Median operative times (minutes, range) for A- and P-LESS were 154 (35–220) and 183 (58–564). Median estimated blood loss (mL, range) for A-LESS was 100 (5–500) and for P-LESS was 10 (0–100). Median discharge pain score for A-LESS (visual analog scale, range) was 1 (0–4); median pain score (Faces, Legs, Activity, Cry Consolability scale, range) on post-operative day 1 for P-LESS was 2.2 (0–4.4). Complications were noted in 4 (6.7%) A-LESS and 0 P-LESS. CONCLUSIONS Adaptation of LESS technique with excellent, reproducible and comparable outcomes was achieved by collaboration between adult and pediatric urologic surgeons. Further investigation is requisite to determine ultimate utility of LESS in adult and pediatric urology. © 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 185Issue 4SApril 2011Page: e375 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2011 by American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc.MetricsAuthor Information Seth Cohen San Diego, CA More articles by this author George Chiang San Diego, CA More articles by this author Marvalyn DeCambre San Diego, CA More articles by this author Jonathan Silberstein San Diego, CA More articles by this author Sean Stroup San Diego, CA More articles by this author Jeffrey Woldrich San Diego, CA More articles by this author Wassim Bazzi San Diego, CA More articles by this author Ithaar Derweesh San Diego, CA More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...

Laparoendoscopic Single-site Surgery

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) is a novel technique developed to reduce the port-related morbidities and improve the cosmetic outcomes of laparoscopic surgery. To date, no series of LESS inguinal hernia repair has been published or documented. This study aimed to determine the safety and feasibility of LESS technique for inguinal hernia repairs. Between December 2008 and March 2009, LESS procedures for inguinal hernia repair through a transumbilical incision were performed for 16 patients with symptomatic inguinal hernias. The initial 9 cases were performed by a transabdominal preperitoneal method and the remaining 7 were completed with a totally extraperitoneal approach. All procedures were accessed with our homemade single port for simultaneous passage of laparoscope and instruments. All procedures were completed successfully without conversion to standard laparoscopic or open surgery. These patients ranged in age from 21 to 80 years (median, 46.5 y) with a male to female ratio of 15:1. A total of 24 inguinal hernias, including 3 complicated types, were repaired. The median operative time was 83.5 minutes (range, 52 to 150 min). Two of the 16 patients suffered postoperative complications (12.5%). Most patients were discharged home on the second postoperative day. No port-related complications occurred. The cosmetic results were excellent. In our experience, LESS procedures for inguinal hernia repair shows this technique to be both safe and feasible, even for complicated cases. More studies are needed to compare LESS inguinal hernia repair with standard laparoscopic techniques.

Urologic Laparoendoscopic Single-Site Surgery (LESS): Current Status

The evolution of minimally invasive surgery led to the development of laparo-endoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). The feasibility of almost all types of urologic procedures has been shown. Comparative series between conventional laparoscopy and LESS for different kidney procedures suggest a non-inferiority of LESS over standard laparoscopy but the only objective benefit remains an improved cosmetic outcome. Challenging ergonomics, instruments clashing, lacks of true triangulation, in-line vision are the main concerns of LESS surgery. LESS pre-bent and articulating instruments have been designed but only experienced laparoscopists and well-selected patients are pivotal for a successful LESS procedure. Da Vinci® assisted LESS procedures have been performed. The available robotic platform remains bulky, but innovative instruments and platforms may facilitate the future unrestricted development of LESS. A steep learning curve limits the application of LESS procedures to well trained and experienced surgeons. Nevertheless, the adoption of LESS principles and the clinical experience with LESS techniques have significantly grown in the past few years worldwide. Improvements in the instruments and platforms will expand the application of LESS surgery, allowing us to better assess its advantages and disadvantages compared to other minimally invasive procedures.

Laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS) - is it feasible in gynecological surgery?

Increases in technical expertise in gynecological surgery and advances in surgical instrumentation have led to the development of laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS). Between March and September 2009, 24 patients underwent adnexal surgery at our institution with laparoendoscopic single-site surgery. The LESS technique was performed using the TriPort through an umbilical incision of 10 mm and bent laparoscopic instruments. We furthermore compared the LESS technique with a control group of 24 patients operated consecutively in the same period and for the same procedures with conventional multiport laparoscopy. Comparing the two techniques we found differences between the operation time and mean hospital stay. The surgeon must master the use of novel bent instruments in close proximity to each another. The LESS technique for benign adnexal surgery is technically feasible and safe, representing a reproducible alternative to conventional multiport laparoscopy.