[Changes in liver function and immune function following laparoscopic and traditional open cholecystectomy: a...

Area of Science:

• Hepatology
• Immunology
• Surgical Innovation

Background:

• Cholecystectomy is a common surgical procedure for gallbladder removal.
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is often preferred over open cholecystectomy (OC) due to minimally invasive benefits.
• Comparative data on the impact of LC versus OC on liver and immune function is crucial for clinical decision-making.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the effects of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and open cholecystectomy (OC) on key liver and immune function markers.
• To determine if surgical approach influences postoperative recovery in terms of hepatobiliary and immunological parameters.

Main Methods:

• A comparative study involving 42 patients with normal liver function undergoing either LC (n=21) or OC (n=21) based on patient preference.
• Preoperative and postoperative (7 days) assessment of liver function tests (ALT, AST, TBIL, ALB) and immune markers (CD3, CD4, CD8, NK cell percentage, IgA, IgM, IgG, C3, C4).

Main Results:

• No statistically significant differences were observed in liver function parameters (ALT, AST, TBIL, ALB) between the LC and OC groups postoperatively.
• Immune function markers, including lymphocyte subsets (CD3, CD4, CD8, NK cells) and immunoglobulin levels (IgA, IgM, IgG, C3, C4), showed no significant variations between the two surgical groups.

Conclusions:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and open cholecystectomy (OC) demonstrate comparable effects on liver function and immune responses in patients with normal preoperative liver function.
• The choice between LC and OC does not appear to significantly alter short-term liver or immune function recovery.