Two-port cholecystectomy maintains safety and feasibility in benign gallbladder diseases: a comparative study

In an effort to overcome the limitations of single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) while preserving the cosmetic benefits of reduced ports cholecystectomy, we have developed a 2-port LC that allows for the full, unrestricted use of 4 laparoscopic instruments.

We retrospectively analyzed data of patients who had undergone either 4-port LC or 2-port LC for benign gallbladder diseases between March 2007 and March 2013. Two incisions of 2-port LC were composed of an umbilical incision as the manner of single-port laparoscopic surgery and a 5-mm epigastric incision. These two incisions were utilized for comfortable bimanual manipulation under the liver-elevated vision provided by a liver retractor.

During the study period, 766 patients underwent LC; 263 (34.3%) started with 4-port LC, and 503 (65.7%) started with 2-port LC. Of patients started with 2-port LC, 486 patients (96.6%) was ended up with 2-port without open conversion or addition of port(s). The two groups had similar operative time, open conversion rate, incidence of complications, analgesic requirement, and length of postoperative hospital stay. Multivariate analyses revealed that the independent factors related to prolonged operative time (≥ 90 th percentile) in 2-port LC were the presence of cholecystitis (odds ratio [OR] 2.412, 95% CI 1.246-4.668, p = 0.009) and admission through the emergency department (OR 2.132, 95% CI 1.135-4.004, p = 0.019).

This study suggests that 2-port LC for benign gallbladder diseases is as safe and feasible as 4-port LC when it is performed by surgeons trained in conventional laparoscopic techniques.