The physiology of laparoscopic surgery: pulmonary function after laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Changes in pulmonary function were studied via standard spirometry in 30 patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and compared with those in nine patients after traditional open cholecystectomy (OC). Studies performed presurgery and the morning after surgery included forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), and forced expiratory flow (FEF25%-75%). Age (43.9 +/- 2.6 years for LC and 42.3 +/- 3.2 for OC), sex, reasons for cholecystectomy, and smoking history were similar in both groups. The mean FVC decreased 23% after LC (3.57 +/- 0.18 L presurgery, range 0.56-5.62, versus 2.68 +/- 0.17 postsurgery, range 0.65-5.14) and 35.2% after OC (mean 3.52 +/- 0.29 presurgery, range 2.38-4.99, versus 2.24 +/- 0.24, range 1.23-3.49 postsurgery). FEV1 showed similar changes, with LC decreasing pulmonary function by 24.3% (2.76 +/- 0.14 L presurgery versus 2.01 +/- 0.12 postsurgery) compared with a 36.2% reduction in FEV1 after OC (2.86 +/- 0.29 L presurgery versus 1.81 +/- 0.21 L postsurgery). Forced expiratory flow decreased by 24.3% after LC and 40% after OC. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy provides less decrement in pulmonary function than traditional open cholecystectomy.