[Single port transumbilical cholecystectomy [SILS] -- 30 non-selected cases]

Single port laparoscopic surgery became popular all over the world, and cholecystectomy represents the most frequent intervention with this technique. We compared transumbilical single port laparoscopic cholecystectomies (SILS) to conventional three-port laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC), which were performed by the same surgeon between 2008-2010. As regards SILS cases, they represent a non-selected series. Transabdominal sutures were not applied in any of those, but one additional 5 mm port was inserted in two SILS cases. Only straight instruments were used in all but two SILS cholecystectomies. Mean age of patients was lower in the SILS group, however male:female ratio and BMI were similar. While none of the procedures were converted in the SILS group, one needed to be done so in the LC patients. One of the SILS patients underwent a transumbilical laparoscopic wash-out for an intrabdominal haematoma, which developed due to non-surgical reasons. Mean operative time and postoperative hospitalisation was 75.9 ± 25 minutes and two days in the SILS group, while 55.7 ± 17 minutes and 2.8 days in the LC group, respectively. We concluded that transumbilical single port cholecystectomy can be performed safely by using conventional straight instruments. We could not identify any publication about non-selected SILS cholecystectomy series in the English language literature.