Verres needle decompression of distended gallbladder to facilitate laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis: a prospective study.
OBJECTIVE
Grasping a thick and distended gallbladder is one of the most common technical difficulties of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis. This prospective study was conducted to investigate the use of the Verres needle decompression method to facilitate laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis.


METHODS
Between April 1998 and April 2002, patients with acute cholecystitis scheduled to receive laparoscopic cholecystectomy emergently were included. A Verres needle was applied through the subcostal area to decompress the acute inflamed distended gallbladder after establishing pneumoperitoneum.


RESULTS
In total 54 patients, 30 male and 24 female with mean age 53.50 years (range 21-80), consented to the operation. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed successfully in 44 patients. The conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open surgery was needed in 10 patients (conversion rate: 18.5%). The failure to identify the triangle of Calot is the only risk factor associated with conversion. The more severe acute cholecystitis is, the higher the conversion rate is (11.5% in uncomplicated cholecystitis, 31.6% in complicated cholecystitis). No bile duct injury was noted. Postoperative morbidity happened in three cases: two port-site discharge and one subphrenic abscess. No mortality occurred.


CONCLUSIONS
Verres needle decompression of the acute inflamed gallbladder did facilitate laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis with low conversion rate.
Lee
Kuo-Ting
KT
Department of Surgery, National Cheng Kung University Hospital, Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University, 138, Sheng-Li Road, Tainan 70428, Taiwan, ROC.
Shan
Yan-Shen
YS
Wang
Shin-Tai
ST
Lin
Ping-Wen
PW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods*; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D019299:Decompression, Surgical / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D005704:Gallbladder / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009339:Needles; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors