Jun-Beom Park, MD, Myung-Hoon Lim, MD, Ji-Young Sul, PhD, MD. Chungnam National University Hospital.
INTRODUCTION – Single port laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has been performed to improve the cosmesis compared to that of conventional multi-port procedures. But the cosmetic result of single port Lap-TEP is not superior to that of TAPP hernia repair. The aim of this study is to introduce and assess the single umbilical tangential incision for Lap-TEP repair.
METHODS AND PROCEDURES – 12 hernia repairs of 10 patients were performed using Single Umbilical Tangential Incision (SUTI) Lap-TEP method. Single incision was made about 2.5 cm along the inferior lateral skin of the umbilical pit. The incision was tangential inside the umbilicus and less than one centimenter of vertical incision was made on the supra- or infraumbilical skin, if needed. SILS port and conventional instruments were used for the operation procedure.
RESULTS – All the procedures were completed without a need of an additional port or conversion to the conventional TEP procedure. Mean operation time was 50.5 minutes for the unilateral LH and 90.3 minutes for the bilateral LH. There were 2 wound seroma postoperatively, which resolved after conservative treatment. Other significant complications were not noted. No hernia recurred during the follow-up. At 3 month’s follow-up, the scar was barely visible.
CONCLUSION(S) – The SUTI-TEP procedure was safe and showed superior cosmesis.