[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: heat damage to the liver caused by hooked electrode and laser]

To control heat damage in the liver after cholecystectomy caused by electrosurgery or Laser, gallbladders were resected at autopsy partly by the Holmium:YAG-Laser and Nd:YAG-Laser and partly by electrosurgery. Heat damage was documented by histological examinations of the liver-bed of the gallbladder. Microscopical evaluation showed that electrocautery tends to produce deeper heat damage in the liver-tissue than the Holmium:YAG-Laser.