Aesthetic benefit of single-port laparoscopic ileo-caecal resection for Crohn's disease: a comparative study

Background Single-port laparoscopy has been mainly studied for colonic cancer or cholecystectomy. Little is known about the cosmetic outcome for patients with Crohn's disease who are the best candidates for single-port surgery. This study aimed to assess cosmetic outcomes with single-port laparoscopy (SPL) vs. multiport laparoscopy (MPL) after ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease. Methods This was a retrospective case-control study of a consecutive monocentric cohort. The study was conducted at a tertiary colorectal surgery referral centre. All consecutive patients who underwent an ileocolic resection by laparoscopy between 2012 and 2020 were included. The main outcomes measures, body image and cosmesis after surgery, were evaluated with a validated questionnaire. Secondary endpoints were conversion, morbidity, length of hospital stay and incisional hernia. Results Two hundred and six patients were included (SPL, n = 65, 32%). Most patients were operated on for stricturing disease (64%). Conversion rate to laparotomy was 0% in the SPL group and 17.7% in the MPL group (p < 0.001). The complication rate was similar in both groups (SPL, 29.2%; MPL, 38.3%; p = 0.21) as was length of stay (5 days [4-7] in both groups). In total 124 (71%) responded to the questionnaire (MPL, n = 74, 67%; SPL, n = 50, 78%; p = 0.11). The SPL group scored better on the cosmesis scale (21.1 vs. 18.4, p < 0.001). In the SPL group, body image scale scores were better for patients with an intraumbilical incision (intraumbilical 5.2 (+/- 0.6) vs. periumbilical 6.4 (+/- 2), p = 0.04). After matching, body image scale scores were similar in both groups (SPL, 6; MPL, 6.4; p = 0.24), but cosmesis scale scores remained better in the SPL group (21.1 vs. 19.3, p = 0.03). Conclusion Ileocolic resection for Crohn's disease with single-port laparoscopy has better cosmetic outcomes than with the multiport approach. Postoperative complications and long-term incisional hernia rate are similar. Routine use of an intraumbilical incision could improve cosmetics.