Outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a secondary level of care in Saudi Arabia

• Main Authors: Abdulrahman S Al-Mulhim, Tarek T Amin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2011-01-01
• Series: The Saudi Journal of Gastroenterology
• Subjects: Complications; laparoscopic cholecystectomy; morbidity
• Online Access: http://www.saudijgastro.com/article.asp?issn=1319-3767;year=2011;volume=17;issue=1;spage=47;epage=52;aulast=Al-Mulhim
• ISSN: 1319-3767; 1998-4049

Background/Aim: The first option for gallbladder surgery is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The aim of this study is to analyze the outcomes for all patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at a secondary level of care. Patients and Methods: Between 2005 and 2008, 968 consecutive laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed at King Fahad Hospital. We collected and analyzed data including age, gender, body mass index (kg/m 2 ), the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class, mode of admission (elective or emergency), indication for LC (chronic or acute cholecystitis [AC]), co-morbid disease, previous abdominal surgery, conversion to open cholecystectomy, complications, operation time, and length of postoperative hospital stay. Results : Nine hundred and sixty-eight patients had laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the center. There were 824 females and 144 males; the age range was 15-64 (mean 32.9± 12.7 years). The operating time was 45 to 180 min (median 85 min); the complication rate was 4.03% (39 patients). Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy could be performed safely in the majority of patients with cholelithiasis, by an experienced surgical team at a secondary level of care.