Patient preferences for surgical techniques: should we invest in new approaches?

Background: The face of surgery has changed over the past two decades with the introduction of laparoscopic techniques. The majority of surgical specialties now perform minimally invasive procedures hence decreasing the scarring, pain, and infection historically associated with open surgery. To further reduce the invasiveness of surgery, new surgical techniques like Natural Orifice Transluminal Endoscopic Surgery (NOTES) and Single-Port Surgery (SPS) are under development.

"Single-port" laparoscopic cholecystectomy--the Aberdeen technique.

Introduction: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains the most frequently performed minimally invasive operation for general surgeons. The next step toward "scar-less" surgery uses a modified single multichannel port inserted through the umbilicus.

Methods: The use of a single port requires modification of the currently established technique for laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a single-port protocol.