title: Comparative study between single-incision and three-port laparoscopic appendectomy: a prospective randomized trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Single-incision laparoscopic surgery is a new procedure used to treat a variety of diseases requiring surgical intervention. The aim of this prospective comparative study is to compare the technical feasibility and safety of single-incision and three-port laparoscopic appendectomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between February 2009 and April 2010, 102 patients with appendicitis were enrolled in this study. The patients were randomly assigned to two groups: single-incision or three-port laparoscopic appendectomy. Patients with perforated appendicitis were not excluded. We analyzed the patients' clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in preoperative patient demographics between the two groups with respect to body mass index (22.03±4.07 kg/m(2) in the single-incision group versus 21.97±3.49 kg/m(2) in the three-port group, P=.930). The pain score on the visual analog scale on postoperative Day 1 was significantly lower in the single-incision group than in the three-port group (3.22±1.22 versus 3.90±1.46, P=.012). Additionally, recovery time to daily life was significantly shorter in the single-incision group than in the three-port group (3.22±1.04 versus 3.94±1.43 days, P=.005). In patients with perforated appendicitis, the single-incision procedure took approximately 10 minutes less than the three-port procedure (44.11±7.75 versus 54.14±32.21 minutes, P=.449), and the postoperative hospital stay (P=.033) and recovery time to daily life (P=.001) were significantly shorter in the single-incision group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy is a feasible and safe procedure, even in patients with perforated appendicitis, and this procedure is even less invasive than three-port laparoscopic surgical techniques.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Bong-Hyeon
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Kye
authors.forename: Junhyun
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Wook
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dongjae
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Dosang
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001062:Appendectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D001064:Appendicitis / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies