Background: New endoscopic technologies are revolutionizing laparoscopic surgery. Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is an emerging approach to many abdominal surgeries, but is still in need of improved technology to become more efficient. A 5 mm flexible tip laparoscope may help to meet the surgeons’ viewing needs and prevent collision of instruments during SILS. The purpose of this study was to compare the flexible tip laparoscope to a standard 5mm 30 degree laparoscope.
Methods: Between February and September 2009, 28 patients underwent SILS cholecystectomy, 18 with a deflectable tip scope and 10 patients with a 5 mm non-deflectable tip standard laparoscope. Both groups were compared.
Results: Age, gender, and BMI were similar in both groups. There were no complications in either group. The group in which the flexible tip laparoscope was used had a lower estimated blood loss (EBL) and shorter operating room (OR) time.
Deflectable Scope Standard Scope P Value
EBL (ml) 11.2 ± 3 22.4 ± 5 <0.05
OR Time (mins) 68.4 ± 5 87.3 ± 8 <0.05
Complications 0 0 NS
80% of patients who underwent cholecystectomy with the deflectable tip endoscope were discharged from the hospital on the same day of surgery however; only 40 % of patients in whom non-deflectable endoscope was used left the hospital on the same day.
Conclusion: Here, we report 28 cases of cholecystectomies performed by single incision laparoscopic surgery with both deflectable tip and standard laparoscopes. The deflectable tip laparoscope was shown to result in a decrease in ORT, EBL, and length of stay in the hospital when compared to a non-deflectable tip standard laparoscope.
Session: Poster
Program Number: P544