Conventional laparoscopic versus single-incision laparoscopic right hemicolectomy: a case cohort comparison of short-term outcomes in 144 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a recent development of minimally invasive surgery for colorectal disease. The literature comparing it against conventional laparoscopic colectomy remains limited. METHODS: A retrospective case-cohort study compared the benefits and outcomes of SILS right hemicolectomy (SRH) with those of conventional laparoscopic right hemicolectomy (LRH). The medical records of consecutive patients from a prospectively collected database were reviewed. Demographic data, operative details, recovery parameters, and details of resected specimens were obtained and analyzed in an intention-to-treat manner. RESULTS: From January 2006 to March 2011, 104 elective LRHs (72 %) and 40 elective SRHs (28 %) were performed. The demographics for these two groups were comparable in terms of gender, age, ethnicity, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities and American Society of Anesthesiology score. As the records showed, 62 % of the LRHs and 57 % of the SRHs were performed for malignancies (p = 0.536). Seven of the LRH cases (7 %) were converted to open procedure, whereas two of the SILS cases (5 %) were converted. Three SILS cases (7 %) were completed with additional laparoscopic ports. The two groups did not differ significantly in terms of wound length, mean operative time, lymph node clearance, or margins of resected specimen. The recovery parameters (pain score, hospital length of stay, and complications rate) also were equivalent between the two groups. CONCLUSION: As a feasible and safe procedure with early postoperative outcomes equivalent to those for LRH, SRH is a suitable alternative. The possible advantages of SILS over conventional laparoscopic surgery may be validated only with randomized controlled trials in the future.

Evaluation of current devices in single-incision laparoscopic colorectal surgery: a preliminary experience in 32 consecutive cases.

BACKGROUND: Single-incision laparoscopic colorectal surgery (SILS) suggests a promising alternative to conventional laparoscopic surgery. In this report we describe our initial experience with SILS for both right hemicolectomies and anterior resections. METHODS: Between June 2009 and May 2010, SILS was performed for 32 consecutive cases with benign and malignant pathology. Demographic data, intraoperative parameters, postoperative data, and pathologic data were assessed. RESULTS: Twenty-one SILS right hemicolectomies, ten ARs, and one abdominal perineal resection (APR) were performed. For SILS right hemicolectomies, one case required full "conversion" to a laparoscopic procedure. The median operating time was 85 min (range 45-150 min) and the median wound length was 5.0 cm (range 3.0-10.0 cm). Median number of lymph nodes extracted in malignant cases was 17(range 10-30) and the overall median length of stay was 6 days (range 5-11). For left-sided lesions, ten cases of ARs (7 high ARs, 2 low ARs, 1 ultralow AR) and one APR were performed. Three cases were completed successfully via the SILS procedure, four cases required one additional port, and four cases required full "conversion" to a laparoscopic procedure. The median operating time was 120 min (range 65-235 min) and the median wound length was 5.0 cm (range 3.0-7.0 cm). Overall median length of stay was also 6 days (range 5-21). There was one case of anastomotic leak and one case of postoperative bleeding. CONCLUSION: In our experience, SILS for right hemicolectomies is safe and effective with reproducible oncologic results. SILS AR, however, requires greater modifications in current devices and techniques. SILS AR can be performed for both malignant and benign diseases but additional ports may be necessary for the safe completion of the procedure.

Evolution of laparoscopy in colorectal surgery: an evidence-based review.

Open surgery for colorectal disease has progressed significantly over the past century from humble beginnings to form the mainstay of treatment for colorectal cancer and a number of benign conditions. Following the introduction of laparoscopic abdominal surgery, the next stage in the evolution of the specialty began in the 1990s with the first laparoscopic colonic resection. Following some early concerns regarding its safety and oncological efficacy during the latter part of that decade, laparoscopic colorectal surgery rapidly came into mainstream use in the early part of the current century with evidence supporting its use being made available from large scale randomised controlled trials. This article provides an evidence-based summary of this evolutionary process as it relates to both benign and malignant colorectal disease, as well as discussion of the next phase of new technologies such as robotic surgery.

Prevalence of faecal incontinence in the community: a cross-sectional study in Singapore.

INTRODUCTION: Faecal incontinence (FI) is a stigmatised condition that remains a silent affliction for many populations. To date, no local study has been performed to determine its prevalence in our population. The existing literature from the West has shown highly variable rates, ranging from 0.8% to 18.0%. The aim of this study was to determine the cross-sectional prevalence of FI in Singapore and to identify at-risk groups. METHODS: A door-to-door questionnaire survey was performed between February and March 2013. We randomly selected 1,000 individuals from the electoral roll to be surveyed using the validated Comprehensive Fecal Incontinence Questionnaire. RESULTS: A total of 381 participants agreed to be enrolled in the study. The mean age of the participants was 52 (range 21-86) years, and slightly more than half of the participants were female (52.8%). Among the female participants, 73.1% had children (78.8% underwent normal vaginal delivery). The overall prevalence of FI in our study population was 4.7%. The prevalence of FI was observed to be significantly associated with increasing age (p = 0.004) and female gender (p = 0.029); women were three times more likely to suffer from FI than men. CONCLUSION: With the ageing population of Singapore, the results of the present study provide further impetus to continue public outreach efforts as well as develop clinical programmes that address the growing need for specialist treatments for people with FI.