Single-incision flexible endoscopy (SIFE) for detection and staging of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

OBJECTIVE: To show the feasibility and the safety of peritoneal carcinomatosis (PC) evaluation by single-incision flexible endoscopy (SIFE) and to compare it to single-incision rigid endoscopy (SIRE).

BACKGROUND: Direct peritoneal visualization, either by laparotomy or laparoscopy, continues to be the gold standard in diagnosing PC. We reported, in animal study, that combining single-incision laparoscopic surgery and flexible endoscopy improved evaluation of the peritoneal cavity in a live porcine model and in four human cadavers.

METHODS: Patients, undergoing surgical exploration for diagnosis and staging of PC, were included in a prospective study. Using a superiority design a sample size of 47 patients was determined. Through a single incision, a standardized peritoneoscopy was conducted with rigid (SIRE) and with flexible endoscope (SIFE). Primary outcome was the access success rates for the 13 regions of the Peritoneal Carcinomatosis Index (PCI).

RESULTS: Overall access to the 13 regions of PCI was successful in 83 % of the cases with SIRE and in 91.1 % with SIFE (p < 10(-10)). SIFE access rates were superior to SIREs' in the regions: R1 (87.2 vs. 61.7 %, p = 0.002), R2 (87.2 vs. 66 %, p = 0.004), R3 (85.1 vs. 59.6 %, p = 0.001) and R6 (80.9 vs. 61.7 %, p = 0.008). The mean PCI was higher (p < 10(4)) with SIFE 12.77 (±11.97) than with SIRE 11.77 (±11.63).

CONCLUSION: This prospective, comparative study shows that SIFE was significantly superior to SIRE in the exploration of some difficult-to-access peritoneal areas, located in regions 1, 2, 3 and 6. These two minimally invasive staging procedures are safe, feasible and have to be seen as complementary rather than competing.