Splenectomy revised: manually assisted splenectomy with the dexterity device--a feasibility study in 22 patients.

Laparoscopic splenectomy claims a number of advantages over open surgery: less trauma, quicker recovery, and faster return to normal activity. On the other hand, laparoscopic splenectomy is complex and time consuming, and so far, many surgeons are reluctant to perform such an operation. A new device was designed to give manual access to the abdomen through a utility laparotomy. By using one hand in the abdomen during laparoscopy, the surgeon regains direct tactile sense and hand-eye coordination. A pilot study to assess the feasibility of this method has been performed in 22 patients. The operation could be completed easily in 21 patients (95%). The average blood loss was 230 mL, and the average postoperative stay was 3.9 days. With this simple, inexpensive method, it is possible to combine the established convenience, safety, efficacy of open surgery with the advantages of minimally invasive surgery.