title: Is male gender a risk factor for conversion of laparoscopic into open cholecystectomy?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Based on a clinical observation that the conversion rate of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) to open cholecystectomy (OC) is higher in males, we decided to review our records and to verify whether a significant difference in conversion rates exists between sexes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study on conversion rates of elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) into open cholecystectomy (LC) in relation to gender was carried out in 329 patients: 267 females and 62 males.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our data revealed that the probability of conversion is fivefold greater in males than females, 21% vs 4.5%, respectively (p = 0.0001). We attribute this striking difference to significantly more adhesions p = 0.0002) and anatomical difficulties (p = 0.003) in males during LC, leading to conversion.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We conclude that conversion of LC to OC is more prevalent among males and is probably attributable to a greater incidence of anatomical difficulties.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery B, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Zerifin, Israel.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zisman
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gold-Deutch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Zisman
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Z
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Halpern
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Halevy
mesh_terms: D002763:Cholecystectomy; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D017558:Elective Surgical Procedures; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors