Cholecystectomy Outcomes in the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (2006-2017)

Cholecystectomy trends and outcomes have been reported extensively in the private sector. Despite being one of the most common procedures performed in the United States, there is a paucity of reports on the trends and outcomes of laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy in the veteran population. Veterans who underwent laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy from 2006 to 2017 were identified using current procedural terminology codes from the Veterans Affairs Surgical Quality Improvement Program (VASQIP) database. Multivariable analyses were used to compare laparoscopic and open outcomes. The primary outcome was mortality, and secondary outcomes were postoperative complications and length of stay (LOS). In the VASQIP database, 53,901 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 8011 patients underwent open cholecystectomy during the study period. The laparoscopic approach increased from 82.0% (2006-2008) to 91.9% (2015-2017). Postoperatively, the open group had a significantly higher morbidity rate (15.4% versus 3.8%, P < .001). The 30-day mortality rate and mean LOS were also significantly higher in the open cholecystectomy group (P < .001). Earlier year of operation, diabetes diagnosis, and open approach significantly increased the likelihood of postoperative morbidity (P < .05). Similar to the private sector, minimally invasive cholecystectomy in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) has increased over the last two decades. Diabetes was present in a significant percentage of the veteran population and was a predictor of all postoperative complications. Finally, the clinical outcomes in the VHA are comparable with those documented in the private sector.