SILS is accomplished through a single 20 mm incision in the navel (umbilicus or belly button), or through only a 11 mm incision in the navel, minimizing the scarring and incisional pain associated with the multiple points of entry used during traditional laparoscopic surgery.

 

Specialized equipment for SILS surgery falls into two broad categories; access ports and hand instruments. There are a number of different access ports, including GelPOINT system from Applied Medical, the SILS device from Covidien, the TriPort+, TriPort15 and QuadPort+ a from Advanced Surgical Concepts and the Uni-X from Pnavel. Hand instruments come in three configurations - standard, articulating, and pre-bent rigid. Standard hand instruments are rigid in design and were developed over the last 30 years for use in laparoscopy. Articulation is designed to overcome one of the challenges inherent in SILS, decreased triangulation of instrument. A number of factors influence a surgeon's decision to use standard or articulating hand instruments, including which access port they use, their own surgical skills and cost as articulating instruments are significantly more expensive than standard instruments. SILS is enhanced by the use of specialized medical devices such as the SILS Multiple Instrument Access Port manufactured by Covidien and Laparo-Angle Articulating Instruments made by Cambridge Endoscopic Devices, Inc. The flexible port that can be fitted through a small incision in the navel to allow surgeons to use up to three laparoscopic devices simultaneously. Certain articulating instruments can be inserted through such specialized ports, providing surgeons with maneuverability and access to the target tissue from a single access point. However single port laparoscopic appendicectomy has also been performed using a single standard 10 mm "Y" shaped operating telescope having a 5 mm instruments channel also.

 

Although awareness of single-port surgery is high amongst surgeons, the use of specialised instruments through such limited access requires considerable skill and training. This operative training and experience is currently limited and some negative perceptions regarding increased operating time and complications with this type of surgery remain. One recent study suggests future uptake relies strongly on the availability of evidence, training, instrumentation and reduced costs.