Abstract:Objective: To investigate the feasibility of Minilap-assisted single-port transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: Forty patients with gallbladder stones or gallbladder polyps admitted in the First Department of General Surgery of the First Affiliated Hospital, Baotou Medical College, between January and December of 2015 were randomly selected, and then divided into control group and observation group according to their preferences, with 20 cases in each group. Patients in control group underwent single-port transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy and those in observation group received Minilap-assisted single-port transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The main clinical variables between the two groups of patients were compared. Results: Laparoscopic surgery was successfully performed in all 40 patients, without any open conversion. In observation group compared with control group, the average operative time (29.90 min vs. 19.10 min, P=0.000) and intraoperative blood loss (4.90 mL vs. 8.05 mL, P=0.000) were significantly decreased, while other variables showed no significant difference (all P>0.05), including the length of postoperative hospital stay, postoperative pain scores, analgesic consumption, and degree of patient satisfaction for surgical scars. Postoperative follow-up was conducted for 10 to 18 months, all patients recovered uneventfully, and no obvious scar was noted in the puncture site of Minilap. Conclusion: Minilap-assisted single-port transumbilical laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe and feasible, has favorable cosmetic results and it helps to reduce surgical difficulty, so it is recommended to be used in clinical practice.