title: A prospective randomized trial comparing pneumoperitoneum and U-shaped retractor elevation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
abstract: Between April and August 1991, 83 Japanese patients with symptomatic gallstones underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in our clinics. A prospective randomized trial was carried out to examine the safety, efficacy, and complications of the two techniques, pneumoperitoneum vs an elevating method using a U-shaped retractor. Forty-two patients were randomly allocated to the pneumoperitoneum (P) group and 41 to the U-shaped retractor (U) group. These two groups were well matched with respect to age, sex, etiology, and the severity of the chronic cholecystitis. Laparoscopic resection was successful for 88.1% (37/42) in the P group and 100% (41/41) in the U group. In patients with a severe fibrotic gallbladder, the rate of success was significantly higher (P < 0.05) in the U group (100%, 6/6) than in the P group (11.8%, 1/6). In the moderately inflamed group, the operation time (mean +/- SD) was significantly (P < 0.01) less in the U group (58.7 +/- 22.7) than in the P group (87.3 +/- 18.3). With the U-shaped retractor the usual surgical instruments can be used, and a rapid and safer laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be carried out. We prefer this approach to a pneumoperitoneum for patients with an inflamed gallbladder as hospital stay and pain are minimal.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery II, Kyushu University, Fukuoka, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kitano
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Iso
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tomikawa
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Moriyama
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sugimachi
mesh_terms: D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011028:Pneumoperitoneum, Artificial; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D000267:Tissue Adhesions / Q000601:surgery