[Micro and mini-cholecystectomies in the 21st century]

Abstract

Introduction: Today the removal of the gallbladder is the safest, the most effective and widely recommended treatment for gallstone disease. Three essential methods are used for the removal of the gallbladder: standard open cholecystectomy, laparoscopic cholecystectomy and minicholecystectomy. Traditionally, the surgical community has resisted accepting minicholecystectomy.

Aim: It is the Author's objective to illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of laparoscopic and microlaparotomy cholecystectomy.

Methods: The 2400 unselected patients who were operated with micro- and minicholecystectomy by them and a review of the relevant data of laparoscopic and standard minicholecystectomies permit some inferences to be made about the validity of microlaparotomy cholecystectomy.

Conclusions: Main outcome measures regarding to mortality (0.12%), common bile duct injuries (0.08%), conversion an incision longer than 8 cm (0.29%) and syncronical choledocholithotomy (5.5%) as well as complete cholecystectomy (98.1%) indicate that micro- and minilaparotomy cholecystectomy with suitable technique and equipment are safe, less expensive choice either than the laparoscopic or the standard open cholecystectomy.