A Retrospective Study of Laparoscopic Versus Open Cholecystectomy

Tetsuro Ishikawa, Masayoshi Nagayama, Yoko Yamamoto, Yukio Nishiguchi, Michio Sowa

First Department of Surgery, Osaka City University, Medical School

Among 120 consecutive patients who underwent cholecystectomy at our institution in the past 26 months, 78 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group), and 42 open cholecystectomy (OC group). Clinical data, such as preoperative associated condition, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and postoperative course and complications, were retrospectively compared in the two groups. Preoperatively, the rates of associated negative gall bladder on X-ray examination, previous abdominal operation and acute cholecystitis were similar in the two groups. Mean operation time was significantly longer in the LC group than in OC group (139 vs 99 min), whereas mean blood loss was less in the LC group (47 ml vs 139 g). Postoperatively, the number of febrile days, leucocytosis and elevation of C reactive protein value were significantly improved in the LC group. In addition, time needed to change to the standard diet and length of hospital stay were shorter in the LC group. There were no remarkable differences between the two groups, in the liver and renal function tests. There were no death or major complications after either procedure. These results demonstrated that LC is less surgically invasive and provides a better quality of life, and indicated that LC may be applicable as a standard procedure in cholecystectomy.

Key words
laparoscopic cholecystectomy, open cholecystectomy, cholelithiasis

Reprint requests
Tetsuro Ishikawa First Department of Surgery, Osaka City University Medical School
1-5-7 Asahimachi Abeno-ku, Osaka, 545 JAPAN

Accepted
June 14, 1993

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