A historical comparison of single incision and conventional multiport laparoscopic right hemicolectomy

Aim: Single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is specially suited for surgery of the right colon. This study presents the results of a historical controlled trial comparing single incision and multiport laparoscopic surgery (MLS) for right hemicolectomy. Method: A review of outcome data from 149 patients who underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy was performed from the Concord Hospital laparoscopic colorectal database. Results: Between July 2006 and December 2011, 149 consecutive laparoscopic right hemicolectomies were performed. The first 74 were performed by MLS and from February 2009 all cases were performed by SILS (n = 75).The median ages in the MLS and SILS groups were 74 and 68 years. The median body mass index was 27 kg/m² in both groups. Patients were hospitalized for a median of 8 days in the MLS group compared with 5 days in the SILS group. The median length of the extraction wound was 50 mm in the MLS group compared with 43 mm in the SILS group. The indications for surgery were similar in both groups, being 67% and 68%. One patient in each group required conversion to open laparotomy, and no patient in the SILS group required conversion to a conventional multiport technique. Postoperative morbidity was similar in both groups. Conclusion: SILS offers a safe minimally invasive approach to right colon resection. In our series SILS patients had a shorter extraction wound size and shorter length of stay in hospital.