Dr. Prashanth Rao, Dr. Pradeep Rao of Mamata Hospital, Mumbai, India, and Dr. Abhay Rane of the East Surrey Hospital, Redhill, reveal the r-Port was developed by surgical port from Advanced Surgical Concepts Ltd. (ASC) of Bray, Ireland.
Currently laparoscopic surgeries require require between three and five incisions in the abdomen-creating two to four permanent scars. A pencil-thin instrument called a laparoscope is used, and it gives the surgeon an exceptionally clear view, on a TV monitor, of the inside of the abdominal cavity.
Researchers staunchly admit the r-Port enables surgeons to perform true, single port laparoscopic procedures. Dr. Prashanth Rao says, "The r-Port represents the next major advance in laparoscopic surgery."
Rao goes on to say, "During an OPUS procedure, the surgeon places a single r-Port into the umbilicus of the patient and passes all necessary instruments and cameras simultaneously through that one port," he explained, "and at the end of the procedure, the surgeon simply removes the port and the natural shape and texture of the bellybutton hides any evidence of the surgical incision."
"We have already completed a 20 patient series of OPUS Laparoscopic Cholecystectomies and have performed many other scarless, single port procedures including appendectomies, adhesiolysis, retroperitoneal inguinal hernia repairs, and ureterolithotomies," said Dr. Pradeep Rao, "and we are exploring the potential of the r-Port(TM) in all categories of laparoscopic surgery."
In addition to reducing or eliminating patient scarring the device reduces surgeon fatigue and increase surgeon instrument control." Surgeons have traditionally performed laparoscopic surgery by inserting three to five elongated cylindrical ports, known as trocars, into the abdomen.
To maintain a tight seal with the patient's abdomen a trocar has a long rigid access tube called a cannula. The long and narrow shape of the cannula allows only one instrument to be used in each abdominal incision and requires the surgeon to operate using long, straight, narrow instruments that impede freedom of movement and control. The need to operate through multiple locations requires the surgeon to hold his or her arms at awkward and elevated positions throughout the procedure, causing unnecessary fatigue.
According to the latest hospital data more than four million laparscopic surgeries occur each year and even though it is relatively deemed minimally invasive. It has been the hope of surgeons for thousands of years to reduce scarring and researchers say this is the next step in achieving that advancement.
