Impact of risk factors for prolonged operative time in laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains one of the most frequent surgical therapies for symptomatic gallstone disorders. Prolonged operative time is frequently associated with increased complication rates. The aim of this study was to identify the risk factors for prolonged operative times to minimize perioperative morbidity and optimize clinical management.

A total of 677 consecutive patients underwent LC. The exclusion criteria were conversion to an open procedure, intraoperative cholangiography, and liver cirrhosis (n=81). Data were analyzed retrospectively with respect to age, sex, BMI, ASA score, previous abdominal surgery, preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, acute cholecystitis, and surgeon's experience. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed.

A total of 596 patients, mean (± SD) age of 52.2 ± 16.7 years, were analyzed. In all, 29% of the patients were obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m); 11% had ASA III. Five percent of patients had undergone previous upper abdominal surgery. Overall, 105/596 patients had an acute cholecystitis. Residents of general surgery performed 58% of all operations. The median operative time was 80 min (range, 15-281 min). No statistical significance was found between intraoperative and postoperative complications by surgeon's experience. Statistically, independent preoperative predictors for prolonged operative time as identified through multivariate analysis were acute cholecystitis, obesity, previous upper abdominal surgery, male sex, and low degree of surgical expertise.

The risk for prolonged operative times in LC can be assessed on the basis of patients' characteristics. Assessment of these factors not only helps to optimize the individual outcome for each patient but also improves the decision process toward operative training for junior surgeons.