Laparoscopic Appendectomy Using the Surgical-Glove Port Through an Umbilical Incision: A Single-Center Retrospective...

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Surgical Techniques
• Gastrointestinal Surgery

Background:

• Single-incision laparoscopic appendectomy (SILA) is an emerging technique for acute appendicitis.
• This study evaluates SILA using existing equipment and a surgical-glove port method.
• Comparison is made against traditional three-port laparoscopic appendectomy (TLA).

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare surgical outcomes of SILA versus TLA for acute appendicitis.
• To assess the viability of SILA using a handmade surgical-glove port.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of SILA in a single-center retrospective study.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 68 patients undergoing SILA or TLA for mild-to-moderate appendicitis.
• Exclusion of patients with severe appendicitis (grade IV-V).
• Analysis of operation time, hospital stay, postoperative pain (VAS score), and return to diet.

Main Results:

• No significant differences in operation time (SILA vs. TLA: 37.5 vs. 35 min) or hospital stay (3 vs. 3 days).
• Comparable postoperative pain scores and return to diet between SILA and TLA groups.
• Low short-term complication rates: 10% for SILA and 2.1% for TLA.

Conclusions:

• SILA via a handmade surgical-glove port is a safe and effective option for mild-to-moderate appendicitis.
• This technique is a valuable alternative when specialized single-incision systems are unavailable.
• SILA offers comparable outcomes to TLA, supporting its clinical adoption.