Two hundred seventy-five single-incision laparoscopic gastric band insertions: what have we learnt?

Single-incision surgery in the morbidly obese patient has not been widely adopted, but remains a popular choice amongst patients. In the bariatric patient, it presents its own surgical challenges with hepatomegaly and increased abdominal adiposity. Here, we present our experience of 275 single-incision laparoscopic gastric bands.Between June 2009 and April 2013, 275 obese patients underwent single-incision laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding through a single incision using a multichannel single port and via a pars flaccida approach. Prospective data collection was undertaken including operating time, additional ports and additional procedures undertaken.In this series, median operative time was 60 (range 34-170) min. An additional port was placed in 15 patients (5%), including two conversions to four-port technique (0.7%). Of these patients (n = 15), the majority were male (p < 0.0001). Reasons for additional port placement included bleeding and anatomical abnormalities. Additional port placement occurred more often within the first 50 cases (5/50, 10% vs 10/225, 4%). An umbilical incision resulted in more wound-related complications than a transverse incision in the upper abdomen (p < 0.001). There were no 30-day mortality and minimal morbidity with two wound infections resulting in band removal.Single-incision laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding can be performed safely with minimal morbidity in the morbidly obese patient, and our technique has a high rate of success for all BMIs. Following 275 single-incision band insertions additional port placements were more commonly required in male patients, BMI >45 and earlier in the learning curve.