What To Know About Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery

By Margaret Bailey


Advancements in technology are leading to the invention of better and new approaches to surgical procedures in all fields of medicine. Single incision laparoscopic surgery, often abbreviated as SILS also goes by several other names. Some of those names include Single-port laparoscopy (SPL), single-port incisionlless conventional equipment-using surgery, single-port access surgery (SPA), and Single-access endoscopic surgery. Additional names are natural-orifice trannsumbilical surgery (NOTUS), laparo-endoscopic singular-site surgery (LESS), and one-port umbilical surgery (OPUS).

SILS as a technique in laparoscopic surgery is still relatively new because it was only developed recently. Because this method utilizes a single entry point into the body, it is referred to as minimally invasive. The navel is the major entry point used on most patients. Only a small scar remains after the process has been done, which is one of the reasons why this process is preferred by many people.

Entry points are either 11mm or 22 mm incisions. One incision is utilized to minimize scarring and pain felt during and after the process. The use of one incision is opposed to the traditional laparoscopic procedure that uses multiple entry points. There are some of the most highly qualified specialists in SILS in New York. Therefore, it is quite advisable to consider visiting the city when in search of specialists in this process.

There are two categories of specialized surgical equipment used by SILS. The two broad categories are hand instruments and access ports instruments. Access ports instruments are of various types including the GelPOINT system, QuadPort+, TriPort15, Uni-X, SILS device, and TriPort+. The manufacturers of these instruments are different.

Conversely, three major configurations of hand instruments exist today. They are pre-bent rigid, standard, and articulating configurations. The development of standard hand tools has been happening for more than the previous 30 years. Rigid design is used in making them. SPL reduced triangulation instrument challenge has been solved through the invetion of articulation hand instruments.

A choice always has to be made between standard and articulating instruments by surgeons. Certain factors play a role in influencing that decision. Among those factors are cost, access port utilized, the level of training and skills commanded by the surgeon. It costs much more to use articulating instruments compared to using standard ones. However, the use of specialized tools promotes safety and efficiency.

The awareness of SILS among surgical practitioners is at a high level. Despite that fact, the application of SILS is restricted to a small number of surgeons. This is because it is complex, uses specialized instruments, and the space of access is limited. It takes a high level of training and skills to be able to perform the process. That plus many other factors have limited the number of people who engage in the process and it has also promoted a negative outlook from the public.

SILS can be applied in performing a wide range of surgeries. Some of the most the include colectomy, sleeve gastrectomy, hysterectomy, appendectomy, nephrectomy, adjustable gastric banding, and sacrocolpopexy among many others. In the United States, standard instruments dominate this field of surgical operation as opposed to specialized instruments.




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