Single-incision laparoscopic hepatic resection in patients with previous hepatic resections: a mini case series

Single-incision laparoscopic hepatic resection has been attracting increased attention from the surgical community in recent years. While there have been reports and studies on this procedure, none has suggested the possibility of doing repeated hepatic resections via a single incision. This report on three such cases aims to determine the feasibility and safety of this approach for such patients. Three patients who had previously had liver resections underwent single-incision laparoscopic hepatic resection in our center. Patient demographics, type of port and instruments used, operating time, complications and incision length were collected. The operating time in each case was less than 230 min. The incision length for the single-port device was 3.5 cm or less. The length of hospital stay was less than 5 days in each case. Intra-operative blood loss was limited to 250 mL in each case. There were no immediate postoperative complications related to hepatic resection. Single-incision laparoscopic hepatic resection is feasible for selected patients who have had previous hepatic resections. Because the port entry site for the single-incision laparoscopic approach is usually slightly larger than that for the conventional approach, it is safer in re-resection cases where there may be adhesions from previous surgery. Other possible benefits, such as cosmesis and reduced port-associated morbidity, are mainly related to the use of only one small incision.