title: Improvement in the quality of life following cholecystectomy: a randomized multicenter study of health status (RAND-36) in patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus minilaparotomy cholecystectomy.
abstract: The assessment of the quality of life (QoL) in minilaparotomy cholecystectomy (MC) versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with the ultrasonic dissection in both groups has not been addressed earlier.
  
  
  
  Initially, 109 patients with non-complicated symptomatic gallstone disease were randomized to undergo either MC (n = 59) or LC (n = 50). RAND-36 survey was conducted preoperatively and at 4 weeks and 6 months postoperatively. The end point of our study was to determine differences in health status in MC versus LC groups.
  
  
  
  QoL improved significantly in both groups, and the recovery was similar in the two groups, except from the higher score in 'health change' subscale at 4 weeks in MC group [MC score 75.0 (25.0) vs. LC score 56.5 (23.2), p = 0.008]. The MC and LC groups combined, RAND-36 scores increased significantly in 'physical functioning' [combined mean (SD) preoperative score 80.5 (23.9) vs. 6-month postoperative score 86.5 (21.7), p = 0.015], 'vitality' [64.5 (19.2) vs. 73.5 (18.3), p = 0.001], 'health change' [43.0 (21.6) vs. 74.6 (25.4), p = 0.0001] and 'bodily pain' scores [57.7 (26.3) vs. 75.5 (25.5), p = 0.001], respectively. Four RAND-36 domains indicated statistically significant health status differences in comparing the preoperative and postoperative RAND-36 scores in LC and MC groups combined.
  
  
  
  Four RAND-36 domains indicated a significant positive change in QoL after cholecystectomy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 100, 70029, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Samuli
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aspinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 100, 70029, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Jari
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kärkkäinen
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Helsinki University Central Hospital, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: Jukka
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Harju
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 100, 70029, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Petri
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Juvonen
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Operative Services, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland.
authors.forename: Hannu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kokki
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Kuopio University Hospital and School of Medicine, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 100, 70029, Kuopio, Finland. matti.eskelinen@kuh.fi.
authors.forename: Matti
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Eskelinen
mesh_terms: D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D041761:Cholecystolithiasis / Q000523:psychology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000523:psychology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome
keywords: Cholecystectomy; Health status; Laparoscopy; Minilaparotomy; RAND-36