Single-port laparoscopy

There are a number of different access ports, including GelPOINT system from Applied Medical, the SILS device from Covidien, the TriPort+, TriPort15 and QuadPort+ a from Advanced Surgical Concepts and the Uni-X from Pnavel.

[2] Although awareness of single-port surgery is high amongst surgeons,[5] the use of specialised instruments through such limited access requires considerable skill and training.

One recent study suggests future uptake relies strongly on the availability of evidence, training, instrumentation and reduced costs.

[5] The SPL technique has been used to perform many types of surgery, including adjustable gastric banding,[6] appendectomy,[7] cholecystectomy,[8][9] colectomy,[10] hernia repair,[11] hysterectomy,[12] sleeve gastrectomy,[13] nephrectomy,[14][15] and sacrocolpopexy.

The instrument's channel allows for a fixed curved infundibular grasper to be added; this helps replicate the methodology currently being practised in traditional four-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Potential complications include significant postoperative pain, injury to organs, bleeding, infection, incisional hernia, intestinal adhesions and scarring.