Single-port laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair.

Roberts, Kurt E; Panait, Lucian; Duffy, Andrew J; Bell, Robert L

BACKGROUND Laparoscopic umbilical herniorrhaphy is preferred when abdominal wall defects exceed 3 cm. The authors describe a novel single-port laparoscopic technique for umbilical hernia repair. METHODS A total of 10 patients underwent single-port laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair. A 10-mm endoscope with a working channel was placed in the left upper quadrant. The abdominal wall defect was covered with a circular mesh with pretied sutures and needles attached. The mesh was secured to the abdominal wall with intraabdominal sutures without the need for transfascial suture fixation. RESULTS The average age of the patients was 43 years, and the average BMI was 34 kg/m(2). All procedures were completed laparoscopically. The mean operative time was 73 minutes. No major intraoperative or postoperative complications were encountered. CONCLUSIONS Single-port laparoscopic umbilical hernia repair is a safe and easily reproducible novel technique. It can help reduce possible complications from multiple-port sites.