Transumbilical videolaparoscopic (single site) liver biopsy with laparoscopy equipment

INTRODUCTION: Liver diseases have a high incidence in the whole world. In order to diagnose, stage and follow these diseases it is often necessary the execution of liver biopsy. There are many possible ways to perform the procedure and the rise of transumbilical endoscopic surgery (TUES) brings to the medical practice an additional good option. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The study is prospective, nonrandomised and cohort type. It involves 42 patients who underwent liver biopsy through TUES using conventional video laparoscopic material. RESULTS: Among the patients 18 (42.86%) underwent isolated liver biopsy and 24 (57.14%) to liver biopsy associated with umbilical hernia repair. Within those, 27 (64.28%) were male and 15 (35.71%) female. The average body mass index (BMI) was of 27.26 kg/m(2), 10 were in the normal BMI range, 24 (57.14%) were in the overweight range, 6 (14.28%) had class I obesity and 2 (4.76%) had class II obesity. In none of the cases the procedure was converted to regular video laparoscopy, all the patients were discharged in the day after the procedure and reported a satisfactory aesthetic result. CONCLUSIONS: The study shows that liver biopsy using TUES has applicability and good results, including in obese patients that would have a contraindication to other methods.