A novel covert laparoscopic cholecystectomy by using 2-mm trocar-less needle-shape instruments

Hai Hu, Professor, MD, PhD, Anan Xu, MD, Guoqing Dai, MD, Anhua Huang, MD, Weidong Wang, MD, Jiangfan Zhu, Professor, MD, Bingguan Chen, Professor, MD, PhD

Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai East Hospital

OBJECTIVE:
To develop a new covert laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with the single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC).

PATIENT AND METHODS:
From January 2011 to June 2011, 30 consecutive patients who underwent a new covert laparoscopic cholecystectomy (NLC group) were compared with a prospective cohort of 30 patients who underwent single-incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC group) during the same period in terms of operation time, pain and satisfactory score.

RESULTS:
All operations were successful. No postoperative complications occurred in both groups. Two patients converted to conventional 3-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the SILC group. The operation time was significantly lower in the NLC group (14.17±3.51min in NLC group vs. 24.67±4.12min in SILC group, P<0.01). As to satisfactory score, NLC group was superior to SILC group (4.53±0.57 in NLC group vs. 4.07±0.52 in SILC group, P<0.01). A lower postoperative pain score was also shown in the NLC group although the results did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS:
The new covert laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and feasible operation. Compared with SILC it showed the benefits of the lower operation time, the less difficulty but the higher satisfactory score.

Session: Poster Presentation

Program Number: P396