ISSN: 1755-5191

Imaging in Medicine

Cholecystectomy

 Laparoscopic cholecystectomy continues to offer a safe and effective treatment for patients with symptomatic biliary tract disease. Although other forms of minimally invasive cholecystectomy are being studied, there is little data to suggest any additional benefit, other than a slight improvement in cosmesis. Until larger series demonstrate that these techniques have a complication rate similar to those cited in the surgical literature, traditional 4-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy should remain the standard of care.   Cholecystectomy is the most common intraabdominal surgical procedure performed in the United States. Laparoscopic removal is now the procedure of choice when cholecystectomy is indicated. However, newer, less invasive techniques, such as natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) and single incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SILC), are currently being investigated as alternatives to the traditional 4-port laparoscopic removal. Safety data and definitive benefits of these less invasive procedures are lacking. This report presents the outcomes of 1000 consecutive cholecystectomies with an emphasis on operative complications. Results similar to those presented in this report should be the goal in any large series of patients when cholecystectomy is performed using one of these newer techniques.

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