Dual-port vs. single-port laparoscopic colectomy for colon cancer

Dual-port laparoscopic colectomy (DPLC) has emerged as a surgical option that can overcome the technical limitations of single-port laparoscopic colectomy (SPLC). The aim of this study was to compare perioperative outcomes of DPLC and SPLC for colon cancer. This case-control study assessed 119 patients who underwent colon cancer surgery using DPLC (n = 66) and SPLC (n = 53). Propensity score matching resulted in 42 pairs of patients, equivalent in distribution of TNM stage and tumor size. Perioperative outcomes and postoperative complications were similar in the two groups, except for a tendency toward less blood loss in the DPLC group (50 ml vs. 100 ml, p = 0.087). Umbilical incision sites were significantly more common in the DPLC than in the SPLC group with left-sided colon cancer (94.4% vs. 66.7%, p = 0.032). In a subgroup of patients with stage II-IV tumors, there were no significant between-group differences in perioperative outcomes. These findings show that perioperative outcomes following colon cancer surgery with DPLC were not superior to those achieved with SPLC. DPLC may be associated with better cosmetic outcomes through greater use of an umbilical approach for left-sided colectomies.