OBJECTIVETo summarize the experiences and advantages of laparoendoscopic single-site (LESS) surgery for neonatal intestinal atresia and stenosis.

METHODSTwenty patients of neonatal intestinal atresia and stenosis were treated with LESS procedure in Huai'an Women and Children's Hospital of Jiangsu Province between October 2010 and April 2012. The clinical data were retrospectively analyzed.

RESULTSAmong these patients, 13 were male, 7 were female. Age at admission ranged from 10 min to 1 d. Four cases were premature, and 3 were born with low birth weight (<2500 g). One was diagnosed with duodenal atresia, 1 with duodenal stenosis, 9 with jejunal atresia, 2 with jejunal stenosis, and 7 with ileal atresia. Laparoscopic exploration was performed in all the cases by transumbilical procedure, the proximal and distal ends were exteriorized from the umbilical port site for anastomosis. Twenty neonates with intestinal atresia and stenosis were performed using this new minimally invasive approach, with no cases converted to open operation or standard laparoscopy. The operative time was 35-60 (mean, 40) min. The intraoperative bleeding was 3-5 ml. Two cases were given up treatment by their parents on the second postoperative day. For the other 18 patients, oral intake started on postoperative day 5-10 (mean, 7), and discharged from hospital on the postoperative day 10-20 (mean, 13). The follow up ranged from 1 to 11 months, during which 1 case died, 3 cases were managed with conservative treatment for diarrhea or malnutrition. The other 14 cases grew up healthily.

CONCLUSIONThe technique of LESS in the treatment of neonatal atresia and stenosis is simple and the outcomes are satisfactory.