Single Incision Versus Conventional Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy for Morbid Obesity: A Meta-Analysis

The purpose of this study was to review the existing evidence on obese patients treated with single-incision laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SILSG) or conventional laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG), to compare the perioperative parameters and outcomes of the two bariatric procedures. A systematic literature search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane library, in accordance with the PRISMA guidelines. Seventeen articles met the inclusion criteria and incorporated 3843 patients. This study reveals comparable mean operative time, length of hospital stay, and complications between the two approaches. The SILSG approach was associated with enhanced cosmetic results, but increased incisional hernia rate. These outcomes should be treated with caution given the small number of included comparative studies. Well-designed, randomized controlled studies, comparing LSG to SILSG, are necessary to assess further their clinical outcomes.