Single-Port Cholecystectomy for Cholecystitis Versus Non-Cholecystitis

Area of Science:

• Minimally Invasive Surgery
• Gastrointestinal Surgery
• Surgical Outcomes Research

Background:

• Symptomatic cholelithiasis necessitates effective surgical intervention.
• Single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SPLC) offers a minimally invasive approach.
• Assessing SPLC safety and efficacy across varied gallbladder pathologies is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of SPLC for symptomatic cholelithiasis.
• To compare SPLC outcomes in patients with normal gallbladder, chronic cholecystitis, and acute cholecystitis.
• To identify predictors of operative time and hospital stay following SPLC.

Main Methods:

• Prospective database registration of 70 patients undergoing SPLC.
• Retrospective chart review and division into normal gallbladder, chronic cholecystitis, and acute cholecystitis groups.
• Analysis of operative time, blood loss, complications, and hospital stay, with statistical comparisons.

Main Results:

• SPLC demonstrated feasibility across gallbladder conditions.
• Operative time significantly increased from normal gallbladder to acute cholecystitis (P=.001).
• Hospital stay was significantly shorter for normal gallbladder patients (P=.020), and pathology type predicted operative time.

Conclusions:

• SPLC is feasible for acute and chronic cholecystitis with good outcomes.
• Caution is advised for SPLC in acute cholecystitis due to potential technical challenges.
• Prospective randomized trials are essential to fully establish SPLC reliability for gallbladder diseases.