Laparoscopic cholecystectomy causes less sleep disturbance than open abdominal surgery

The aim of this study was to examine subjective sleep quality before and after laparoscopic vs open abdominal surgery.

Twelve patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 15 patients undergoing laparotomy were evaluated with the aid of a sleep questionnaire from 4 days before until 4 weeks after surgery.

Following laparoscopic surgery, total sleep time increased during the 1st week after the operation compared with preoperative values (p = 0.02), whereas sleep duration during weeks 2, 3, and 4 did not differ from the times reported preoperatively. Following laparotomy, sleep duration increased during the 1st, 3rd, and 4th weeks after the operation compared with preoperative values (p < 0.05). All patients experienced postoperative circadian sleep disturbance, with significantly more sleep during the daytime compared with preoperative values; the disturbance was present 1 week after laparoscopy and 4 weeks after laparotomy.

After laparotomy, total sleep time increased and there was a change in diurnal sleep distribution. These sleep alterations were less pronounced after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Thus, sleep architecture was disturbed for ?4 weeks after major abdominal surgery but for only 1 week after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.