Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with previous abdominal surgery.
BACKGROUND
Laparoscopic cholecystctomy has become the treatment of choice for symptomatic gallstones. The potential risks have dissuaded some surgeons from using the laparoscopic procedure in patients with previous abdominal surgery. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the effect of previous abdominal surgery on the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.


METHODS
This study included 600 well-documented patients with gallstones who underwent laparoscopic cholecystctomy at our surgical department between May 2000 and January 2004. The patients were classified into 3 groups: group 1, patients without a history of previous abdominal surgery (n = 408); group 2, patients with a history of upper abdominal surgery (n = 92); group 3, patients with a history of lower abdominal surgery (n = 100). The data were collected and analyzed for open conversion rates, operative times, perioperative and postoperative complications, and hospital stay.


RESULTS
Of the 600 study patients, 192 had undergone previous abdominal surgery (92 upper, 100 lower). Conversion rate, hospital stay, and complication rates were similar in each group. Mean operating time was the longest (57 +/- 9.8 min) in patients with previous upper abdominal surgery (P < 0.05). On the other hand, the operative time was similar in groups 1 and 3 (P > 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Previous abdominal surgery is not a contraindication to safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, previous upper abdominal surgery is associated with a prolonged operation time.
Medical School of Gazi University, Department of General Surgery, HPB Surgery Unit, Ankara, Turkey.
Nusret
N
Akyurek
Bülent
B
Salman
Oktay
O
Irkorucu
Oge
O
Tascilar
Osman
O
Yuksel
Mustafa
M
Sare
Ertan
E
Tatlicioglu
D000005:Abdomen / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012086:Reoperation; D016896:Treatment Outcome