title: Alterations in colonic transit time after laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy: a clinical study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Postoperative enteral paresis constitutes a common problem for surgeons around the world. Evidence by many authors suggests that colonic inertia constitutes a major component of postoperative enteral paresis. This study aims at comparing the effect of laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy on colonic transit time in humans.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this study, were included a total of 29 patients suffering from cholelithiasis, divided into two groups, a laparoscopic cholecystectomy and an open cholecystectomy group. All patients ingested one capsule containing 24 radiopaque markers on the day of the operation, and plain abdominal films were obtained on the 3rd postoperative day. The number of remaining markers was counted, and the percentage of rejected markers was calculated. For the statistical analysis, SPSS for windows version 12 was used.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study's results show a significant difference in postoperative colonic motility, in favor of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy group (P = 0,001). Causative interpretation of these results is difficult, mainly due to the multifactorial nature of postoperative colonic hypomotility.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The present study suggests an advantage of laparoscopic cholecystectomy, as far as the duration of postoperative colonic paresis is concerned.
authors: 2nd Department of Surgery, Alexandroupolis University General Hospital, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace, Alexandroupolis, Greece.
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Pitiakoudis
authors: S N
authors: SN
authors: Fotakis
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Zezos
authors: G
authors: G
authors: Kouklakis
authors: L
authors: L
authors: Michailidis
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Romanidis
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Vafiadis
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Simopoulos
mesh_terms: D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000601:surgery; D003106:Colon / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003108:Colonic Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit; D006801:Humans; D045823:Ileus / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged