Learning curve of transumbilical single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILS): a preliminary study of 80 selected patients with benign gallbladder diseases.

BACKGROUND: Transumbilical single incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) is a new laparoscopic procedure in which only one transumbilical incision is made, demonstrated as a scarless procedure. Here we report a single-center preliminary experience of transumbilical single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC) in the treatment of benign gallbladder diseases, defining a single surgeon's learning curve.
METHODS: A total of 80 patients underwent SILC successfully by a single experienced laparoscopic surgeon. The operation was performed following the routine LC procedure. Then the perioperative demographics were recorded and the operative time was used to define the learning curve.
RESULTS: The study group included 27 male and 53 female patients with gallstones (56 cases), cholesterol polyps (16 cases), an adenomatous polyp (3 cases), adenomyomatosis (1 case), or complex diseases (4 cases), and all consented to undergo SILC. No patient was converted to normal LC or open surgery. There were no perioperative port-related or surgical complications. The average operative time was 46.9 ± 14.6 min. The average postoperative hospital stay was 1.8 ± 1.3 days. The learning curve of the SILC procedures for this series of selected patients confirmed that SILC is a feasible, safe, and effective approach to the treatment of benign gallbladder diseases.
CONCLUSIONS: For experienced laparoscopic surgeons, SILC is an easy and safe procedure. Patients benefit from milder pain, a lower incidence of port-related complications, better cosmesis, and fast recovery. The SILC procedure may become another option for the treatment of benign gallbladder diseases for selected patients.