Page 148 - Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery

136 Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery

Fig. 5.1 Line drawing of single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). A
single port containing two working channels and the laparoscope is placed
at the umbilicus. Articulating instruments are used to allow triangulation at
the operative site.

area of interest. Single-port procedures are performed through only one
incision in the abdominal cavity, usually at the umbilicus. They may be
performed with an operating laparoscope (a rigid laparoscope containing
a working channel) for viewing and coaxial introduction of instruments.
In human surgery, specialised instruments are becoming available to
enable what is known as single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS). A
three-channel trocar (Fig. 5.1) is placed at the umbilicus and a rigid
endoscope containing a flexible portion is introduced into one of the
channels for operative viewing. Specially designed articulating instru-
ments are introduced through the other two channels to enable triangula-
tion of instruments on the target of interest. A complex procedure can
then be performed through only one port and cosmetic outcomes are
excellent since the incision is hidden in the naval folds. Hand-assisted