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BackTable / OBGYN / Podcast / Episode #85
Understanding Single Port Laparoscopy: Techniques & Outcomes
with Dr. Kevin Stepp
Real innovation? It’s not just the tools and techniques you use, it’s how you think. In this episode of the BackTable OBGYN podcast, hosts Dr. Mark Hoffman and Dr. Amy Park welcome Dr. Kevin Stepp, a MIGS surgeon and urogynecologist in Charlotte, North Carolina, and an OBGYN professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. Dr. Stepp shares his journey into the field, including his serendipitous start in single-port laparoscopy and the many surgical innovations that he has pioneered.
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BackTable, LLC (Producer). (2025, June 3). Ep. 85 – Understanding Single Port Laparoscopy: Techniques & Outcomes [Audio podcast]. Retrieved from https://www.backtable.com
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Synopsis
The conversation highlights the importance of anatomical knowledge, thinking beyond conventional surgical approaches, and the significance of teamwork and efficiency in the operating room. A central focus is placed on the development and application of single-port techniques, highlighting the associated learning curves and the evolving role of robotic surgery. The discussion also explores how surgical team dynamics, effective communication, and ongoing innovation collectively contribute to better patient outcomes and advancement in the medical field.
Timestamps
00:00 - Introduction
03:50 - Pioneering Single Port Laparoscopy
10:10 - Challenges and Advantages of Single Port Surgery
13:52 - Cosmetic Considerations and Incision Techniques
27:27 - Innovative Approaches and Future Directions
30:40 - Understanding 3D Anatomy in GYN Surgery
32:10 - Sustaining Innovation in Urogynecology
33:53 - Efficiency in Surgical Procedures
39:20 - Advancement of Surgical Educational Materials
42:47 - Single Port and Robotic Procedures
50:50 - Building a Team through Positive Surgical Culture
01:02:13 - Continuous Improvement and Humility in Surgery
Transcript Preview
[Dr. Kevin Stepp]
I had talked with a patient. We just had a port. If we needed to, we could add a port. Even to this day, that's part of my counseling, right? If I'm going to do a single-port surgery, I could always just add a port. Hopefully, we'll get into that. Pretty soon, pretty quickly, it just becomes your routine case.
Let me back up and explain a little bit. This was also the time when we had 10-millimeter instruments, right? The natural progression of my cases was four ports, but I didn't like putting the 10-millimeter ports down low and lateral, those lower ports, because those were painful, right? You had to close them, the stitches. You would get a nerve. I didn't like doing that.
I had gone from four ports to three ports on my own before this single-port stuff happened. We only had 10-millimeter energy at the time. Then I had transitioned to using a five-camera and having my 10-millimeter energy coming in through the umbilicus. It's already coming down. Really, the big change for me wasn't how am I going to do the hysterectomy, but where am I going to put my camera.
[Dr. Mark Hoffman]
Oh, that's interesting.
[Dr. Kevin Stepp]
I just had to work out where my hands go. It wasn't like I was like, "Oh, let's just try something completely new." I was already having my energy come down vertical from the midline. I think there are some real advantages to that. That, I suppose, maybe makes it sound a little bit more like a natural progression. Just went from four ports to three ports to two ports to one port.
The Materials available on BackTable are for informational and educational purposes only and are not a substitute for the professional judgment of a healthcare professional in diagnosing and treating patients. The opinions expressed by participants of the BackTable Podcast belong solely to the participants, and do not necessarily reflect the views of BackTable.
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