title: Single-incision laparoscopic colectomy: early experience.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Single-incision laparoscopic surgery was developed recently and has the benefit of reducing the number of incisions. Its application in colectomy has been published only in case reports. The present study evaluated our early results of single-incision laproscopic surgery in a series of 8 patients who underwent colectomy for various colorectal pathologies.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight patients underwent single-incision laparoscopic colectomy for cancer (n = 5), polyps (n = 2), and diverticulitis (n = 1) during the study period. The data on the operations and outcomes were collected prospectively and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The median age of the patients was 78 years (range, 49-88). The operations were right colectomy (n = 6), left colectomy (n = 1), and anterior resection (n = 1). The median operating time was 175 minutes (range, 103-260) and the median blood loss was 55 mL (range, 20-200). The average length of the incision was 3.4 cm (range, 3.0-5.0). One patient required conversion to hand-assisted laparoscopy with a 5-cm incision. The median hospital stay was 3.5 days (range, 3-6) and 1 patient had ileus after the operation. There was no mortality and no reintervention within 30 days. In patients with cancer, all of the resection margins were clear. The median number of lymph nodes examined was 13.5 (range, 9-36).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-incision laparoscopic surgery can be applied to colectomy safely. Oncologic resection similar to conventional laparoscopy can be performed with this technique. Further studies are needed to evaluate the outcomes against those of conventional laparoscopic resection.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, The University of Hong Kong, Queen Mary Hospital, Hong Kong.
authors.forename: Wai-Lun
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Law
authors.forename: Joe K M
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Jensen T C
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Poon
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016063:Blood Loss, Surgical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003082:Colectomy / Q000379:methods*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D004239:Diverticulitis, Colonic / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome