Introduction: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) in gastric banding (SI-LAGB) has been reported to be a safe and technically feasible procedure among various operating methods. However, there is little evidence with regard to the question whether SI-LAGB has more advantages and should be recommended compared with conventional LAGB (CLAGB). Thus, this study was performed to assess the safety and efficacy of SI-LAGB.
Material and methods: A computerized search of the electronic databases PubMed and EMBASE was performed. Data regarding operative parameters, postoperative recovery parameters, follow-up time, percentage of excess weight loss, and postoperative complication were pooled and analyzed according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses recommendations.
Results: Ten comparative studies including 2,073 patients (1,038 patients who received SI-LAGB and 1,035 patients who received CLAGB) were included and analyzed. Compared with CLAGB, a similar weight loss could be obtained using SI-LAGB. The postoperative complications of SI-LAGB were within the acceptable range, but one study reported one perioperative death. SI-LAGB required a longer operative time. Other outcome variables, such as blood loss, days of hospitalization, pain score, and hospitalization costs, were not significantly different between the two groups.
Conclusions: SI-LAGB might be a safe and effective alternative to C-LAGB when performed by experienced surgeons, but available data do not allow to give a definitive answer and randomized controlled trials are needed.
Keywords: Single-incision laparoscopic surgery; bariatric surgery; laparoscopic adjustable gastric banding (LAGB).