title: Transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy: primary experience and review of the English literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) may represent an improvement over conventional laparoscopic surgery, and has been applied in many surgical procedures. However, for pancreatic surgery, experience is rather limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  The clinical records of 11 cases in which transumbilical single-incision laparoscopic distal pancreatectomy (TUSI-LDP) was performed at our institution since June 2009 were retrospectively analyzed, and all the literatures concerning TUSI-LDP were retrospectively reviewed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All the 11 patients were female. The ages ranged from 20 to 73 years, with an average age of 38.0 years. The average body mass index (BMI) was 22.67 (18.6-26.2). Most TUSI-LDPs were successfully performed, with only one conversion to multi-incision surgery. Splenic preservation was performed in six cases. The mean operation time was 163.18 ± 63.18 minutes (range 95-300), and the mean intraoperative blood loss was 159.09 ± 181.02 ml (range 10-500 ml). The surgical wounds healed well, with good cosmetic wound healing, and the patients were discharged from hospital in a mean of 7.45 ± 1.44 days (range 5-10). Only one patient developed pancreatic leakage, which ceased spontaneously with only a drain for 61 days. The parameters were comparable with those found in the English literature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These recent experiences suggest that SILS in pancreatic surgery is feasible for a select group of patients with relatively small lesions and low BMI, and that, with the gradual accumulation of surgeons' experience with SILS and improvement of laparoscopic instruments, it might become a safe option for some patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular and Bile Duct Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, No. 36, San Hao Street, Heping District, Shenyang, 110004, Liaoning Province, China.
authors.forename: Dianbo
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Yao
authors.forename: Shuodong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Yu
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tian
authors.forename: Ying
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Fan
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kong
authors.forename: Yongnan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010180:Pancreatectomy / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014472:Umbilicus; D055815:Young Adult