[Intestinal motility after laparoscopic vs conventional cholecystectomy. An animal experiment study and clinical...

First descriptions of clinical courses after laparoscopic cholecystectomy indicate a shorter period of postoperative ileus in comparison to conventional cholecystectomy. Early postoperative motility was registered in dogs (n = 10) by implanted serosal electrodes. Further on clinical signs of postoperative motility were documented in patients (n = 100) after laparoscopic and conventional cholecystectomy. In animal experiments a significantly reduced period of postoperative ileus (5.5 +/- 1 h) occurred after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in comparison with the conventional technique (46 +/- 5 h). Experimental data correlate well with earlier clinical signs of normal motility after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients. The shorter period of postoperative ileus is a further evidence for the minor abdominal trauma of laparoscopic techniques.