Feasibility of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic hysterectomy using conventional instruments.

Objectives To report the surgical outcomes of transumbilical single-port laparoscopic hysterectomies for benign uterine diseases. Materials and methods This prospective observational study recruited patients with benign diseases and scheduled for laparoscopic hysterectomy from March 2010 to April 2011 to undergo transumbilical single-port laparoscopy, and recorded the surgical outcomes. Results A total of 56 patients were included, with mean (±standard error of the mean) age 46.5 ± 0.5 years and mean body mass index 23.5 ± 0.5 kg/m². Among these patients, 32 (57.1%) had a history of previous abdominal surgeries, whereas in 55 (98.2%) the procedures were completed with transumbilical single-port access and without any ancillary trocar. Mean surgical time was 121.1 ± 5.7 minutes. Mean intraoperative blood loss was 279.5 ± 38.4 mL. Mean uterine weight was 392.3 ± 34.2 g. The single additional trocar (1.8%) was needed for extensive enterolysis. Two patients (3.6%) needed blood transfusion. The median of postoperative hospital stay was 3 days. There were no major intraoperative or postoperative complications. Conclusion In the hands of experienced laparoscopists, transumbilical single-port laparoscopy is a safe and feasible method of hysterectomy for patients with benign uterine diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]