A Comparative Study of Postoperative Outcomes: Open Cholecystectomy versus Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Evaluating Postoperative Outcomes in Gallbladder Surgery

Abstract

Background: Surgery is usually necessary to treat gallstones, or cholelithiasis. Because laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less intrusive than open cholecystectomy, it is now the treatment of choice.

Objectives: To evaluate and compare the postoperative results of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomies with regard to duration of hospital stay, complication rates, and amount of discomfort experienced during the procedure.

Methods: A prospective comparative study was conducted on one hundred patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis who were to undergo elective cholecystectomy. Patients were randomized into two groups: Among the patients, 50 patients were operated for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy and 50 for Open Cholecystectomy. The data on the postoperative results of the operation, including the time spent during the operation, as well as the time spent on pain, the length of stay in the hospital, and complications were collected and compared using statistical methods with the chosen level of significance equals to p ≤0.05.

Results: The mean operative time of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy was less than Open Cholecystectomy (48. 5 ± 12. 4 vs. 68. 5 ± 15. 3 minutes; p≤0.05). The overall postoperative pain was less in patients who undertook Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy with the mean pain period of (18. 3 ± 5.2) hours compared with 30. 7 ± 7. For Open Cholecystectomy patients the time taken was 1 hours. The length of the hospital stay was also lesser in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy group which was (1.8 ± 1.2) days compared to Open Cholecystectomy group of (4.8 ± 1.5) days. Also, the Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy group had less complication rate at 12% compared to the Open Cholecystectomy at 38% with p ≤0.05

Conclusion: Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is shown to be more beneficial in terms of postoperative results than Open Cholecystectomy in terms of the operating time, pain, hospital stay, and complications. Thus, these results shows Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy as the most appropriate surgical management for patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis; however, Open Cholecystectomy will still be required for cases that are not suitable for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy.