Development of Metallic Reusable Port for Single Port Surgery: Possibility of Enhancement of Operability and Operation Cost Reduction

Single Port Surgery (SPS) has become used worldwide as a minimally invasive surgery method. However, many SPS ports are polymer-made disposable products, which could cause problems such as steep rise of medical cost or increase of management cost of medical waste, leading to environmental problems. We invented a metallic reusable port for SPS. Smooth fixing of the target region is achieved by overcoming absence of molding function of metallic device by use of spring mechanism made of memory metal for fixing abdominal wall. Different from existing ports, it is possible for an operator to manipulate forceps easily on the operative field as the port for an assistant operator has a handle to decide the direction.
METHODS: In animal study, we used three 40-kg male pigs and carried out cholecystectomy on the three pigs, hepatectomy on those three pigs and partial gastrectomy on the same three pigs. We assessed the operability of forceps by use of the electromagnetic navigation system which we had developed uniquely. In human clinical trials, we conducted cholecystectomy on 5 patients whose BMI vary from 20 to 3.0.
RESULTS: It was possible carrying out easily cholecystectomy, hepatectomy and gastrectomy in animal study. According to the trace of forceps assessed by the electromagnetic navigation, it became clear that the newly-developed port ensured no less working area than other polymer-made ports. In human clinical trials, it was possible to conduct cholecystectomy without any problem of operability nor any complications of patient. The point particularly notable is that the cost of devices required for cholecystectomy by SPS in the clinical case was reduced to 50 US dollars at minimum.
CONCLUSION: The metallic port for Single Port Surgery is considered to have high potential to be an environmental-friendly surgery device with high cost-performance.