title: Minilaparotomy cholecystectomy--an appropriate alternative to laparoscopic cholecystectomy in developing nations.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  This study reports the experience of performing minilaparotomy cholecystectomy (MC) and assesses the peri-operative outcome of this surgery in the setting of a developing country.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data of all patients who underwent minilaparotomy cholecystectomy by a single surgical unit were collected and reviewed. These included demographics, surgical technique used, peri-operative complications and length of hospital stay. Descriptive analyses were done.
  
  
  RESULTS
  476 patients who underwent elective minilaparotomy cholecystectomy in a single surgical unit over a 15 year period were studied. Of these, 84.8% were female. The mean age was 47 years. The most common indication for surgery was symptomatic cholelithiasis with chronic cholecystitis (66%). Mean length of the surgical incision was 4.8 cm and mean operating time was 31 min. Rate of conversion to conventional open cholecystectomy was 4%. Median hospital length of stay was 22 hours. Minor wound infection was the only surgical post-operative complication recorded in 7 patients. Nine patients in the converted group and 3 in the minilaparotomy cholecystectomy group had significant vomiting. There was no mortality.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study reinforces the view that minilaparotomy cholecystectomy can be safely and effectively performed with minimal peri-operative complications, and is ideal for developing country settings.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Surgical Sciences, Faculty of Medical Sciences, The University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad, West Indies.
authors.forename: Vijay
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Naraynsingh
authors.forename: Yardesh
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.forename: Tamara
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Remy
authors.forename: Seetharaman
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hariharan
authors.forename: Dilip
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003906:Developing Countries; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009017:Morbidity; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D014900:West Indies / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult