Retrieval of gallbladder through epigastric port as compared to umbilical port after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

This comparative prospective study was conducted at the Ghulam Muhammad Mahar Medical College Hospital and Red Crescent General Hospital, Sukkur, Pakistan, for a period of two years from July 2012 to June 2014. The study included 1800 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholethiasis. These patients were divided in to two groups. Group I included 900 patients, who underwent conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy with the four port technique. In these patients, the gall-bladder was retrieved through umbilical port by a sterile surgical hand glove (size 6 ½ or 7 inches) endobag. The fascial defect of 10 mm umbilical port was closed by vicryl "0" with J-shaped needle, while three 5 mm ports closed by applying steri strips. Group-II also included 900 patients. In these patients laparoscopic cholecystectomy was done by using three ports, 10 mm epigastric working port, 5 mm umbilical port for 5 mm telescope and lateral 5 mm port for assistant. The gall-bladder was retrieved through epigastric port without endobag. The results of both these techniques were collected and analyzed on SPSS version 14. The mean age of patients was 45 years. The male to female ratio was 1:3. In group-I, after laparoscopic cholecystectomy, gall-bladder was retrieved safely through 10 mm umbilical port in surgical glove endobag. In acutely inflamed cases, the gall-bladder was opened at the umbilical port site inside the endobag and decompressed before retrieval. In this group, wound infection of umbilical port occurred in 5.11% patients, port-site hernia in 3.66%, port-site bleeding in 1.33% while difficulty in retrieval of gall-bladder in acutely inflamed cases in 1.88% patients. In group-II, wound infection in epigastric port was found in 1.55% patients, port-site hernia in 0.11%, port-site bleeding in 4%, difficulty in retrieval of gall-bladder in 5.33% while leakage /perforation of gall-bladder in 4.11% patients. The serious complications like wound infection and port-site hernia are more frequently found in group-I patients as compared to group-II.