title: Single-incision laparoscopic versus conventional laparoscopic ventral hernia repair: a comparison of short-term surgical results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To demonstrate the feasibility of single-port incisional hernia repair, quantify incision size, and compare results of patients operated by standard laparoscopy (SL) with those operated by the single-port technique [laparoendoscopic single-site surgery (LESS)].
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective data collected on patients operated from March 2008 to June 2010. Indication for surgery was incisional hernia >3 cm. There were no selection criteria for the enrollment of patients or the operative technique used.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-four patients were operated (18 women and 16 men): 15 with LESS and 19 with SL. There was no difference for age, body mass index, ASA scores, or number of previous surgical procedures. LESS patients had slightly larger (82 ± 54 vs. 64 ± 34 mm) and more numerous hernias: 3 (1 to 7) versus 1 (1 to 3). Adhesion grades, severity scores, and operating times (78.2 SD ± 31.2 vs. 73.5 SD ± 25.4 min, P=0.76) did not differ between the groups. The mean fascia incision size in LESS was digitally measured as 12.93 ± 2.01 mm. The hospital stay was a median of 1 day in both groups. There was 1 conversion in the SL group. The median follow-up time was 26 months (range, 25 to 31 mo) for LESS and 34 months (range, 31 to 42 mo) for SL.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 2 seromas and 1 hematoma in the LESS group. In the SL group, there were 2 small-bowel injuries and 2 seromas. There were no recurrences in the SL group, 1 in LESS, and no port-site hernia so far.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LESS incisional hernia repair through 1 minimal fascia incision is feasible. Early results do not indicate a longer operation time, higher complication, or higher recurrence rates.
authors.affiliation: Vestfold Hospital, Tønsberg, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars Bergene
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Grønvold
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Spasojevic
authors.forename: Jens-Marius
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Nesgaard
authors.forename: Dejan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Ignjatovic
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006406:Hematoma / Q000209:etiology; D006555:Hernia, Ventral / Q000601:surgery*; D059685:Herniorrhaphy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D061646:Operative Time; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D049291:Seroma / Q000209:etiology; D013526:Surgical Mesh; D016896:Treatment Outcome