Single-incision laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal inguinal hernia repair using only conventional instruments: an initial report.

INTRODUCTION

Notes is the logical answer to scarless surgery, but despite being around for almost 4-5 years, it has to still garner a major support because of a number of limitations. Single-incision laparoscopic surgery, especially when done through the umbilicus, should be the perfect answer as far as the absence of any visible scar is concerned.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

All the 67 patients were operated by the same surgeon through a transversely placed umbilical incision in the lower half of the umbilicus. Three conventional ports, 10, 5, and 5  mm, were introduced through the same skin incision but separate transfacial punctures. The instruments included 10-mm and 5-mm 30° rigid telescopes and rigid instruments as in standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Patients with irreducible hernia and obstructed hernia were included, and those with strangulated hernia were excluded.

RESULTS

All the patients were men, with an average age of 38.6 years. Three patients had bilateral hernia and 2 each had irreducible and obstructed hernia. The mean operating time was 42.8 minutes for unilateral hernias when tackers were used and 51.7 minutes in those in whom intracorporeal suturing was done. The operating time for bilateral hernias was 71.7 minutes. There was minimal flap discharge, without infection, in 3 patients. There were no other complications. There were no conversions and no recurrences upto 9 months of follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Transumbilical single-skin-incision laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair for groin hernias, performed solely with conventional instruments, is feasible, easy to learn, and probably the future of laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair.