Efficacy and safety of reuse of disposable laparoscopic instruments in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this prospective randomized study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of the reuse of disposable laparoscopic instruments (DLI) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.


METHODS
A total of 125 consecutive patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis were randomly assigned to undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy with single-use DLI (group 1, n = 62) or DLI that were reused (group 2, n = 63) after high-level disinfection by alkalinized 2% glutaraldehyde. Operative and postoperative outcomes were investigated.


RESULTS
There was no significant difference between group 1 and group 2 in mean operating time, linear analogue pain scale score, duration and amount of analgesic administration, or hospital stay. Total incidence of complications (3.2% vs 4.8%, p = 0.50) and infection rates (1.6% vs 3.2%, p = 0.57) were also similar when group 1 was compared to group 2.


CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that reusing DLI did not change the operative and postoperative outcomes or the infection rate for laparoscopic cholecystectomy when strict rules for disinfection were followed.
Colak
T
T
Department of General Surgery, Medical Faculty of Mersin University, Tip Fakultesi Hastanesi, Zeytinlibahce C., 33079, Mersin, Turkey. tcolak@mersin.edu.tr
Ersoz
G
G
Akca
T
T
Kanik
A
A
Aydin
S
S
D000328:Adult; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D004203:Disinfection; D004209:Disposable Equipment / Q000592:standards; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000592:standards; D004869:Equipment Safety; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020706:Laparoscopes / Q000592:standards; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011446:Prospective Studies