Use of operative laparoscopes in single-port surgery: The forgotten tool

Single-port surgery is an emerging advancement in the field of minimally invasive surgery. Several different techniques and tools have been developed to decrease the invasiveness of various operations. Amongst these new developments, many general surgeons have overlooked an important tool, the operative laparoscope. These telescopes reduce the number of ports placed during minimally invasive operations by providing both visualization and operative channels to accommodate instruments. We have described several simple techniques that employ the operative laparoscope to reduce the number of incisions in laparoscopic surgery with good outcomes. Single-port surgery has been shown to be safe and effective and may someday replace traditional laparoscopy in the performance of minimally invasive operations.