Critical View of Safety in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Systematic Review of Current Evidence and Future Perspectives

Abstract

Background: The Critical View of Safety (CVS) has been increasingly recognised as the standard method for identification of the cystic structures, to prevent vasculobiliary injuries during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, however, its adoption has been anything but universal. A significant proportion of surgeons has a poor understanding of the three requirements. To bridge this gap between theory and practice, we aimed to summarise the available evidence on CVS, emphasising on current debates and future perspectives.

Method: We systematically reviewed the literature (1995-2021), to identify studies reporting on the CVS. Eligible articles were classified according to methodology and key idea. A quantitative analysis was performed to evaluate effectiveness of the CVS in preventing bile duct injury (BDI).

Results: 150 relevant articles were identified, focusing on six main points, (1) safety and effectiveness, (2) intraoperative documentation, (3) complementary imaging techniques, (4) bail-out alternatives, (5) adoption among surgeons, and (6) education and training. The quantitative analysis included 11 studies, with 10,938 cases. Overall, the CVS was achieved in 92.5%. Conversion rate was 4.8%. CVS-related BDI was 0.09% (0.05% technical errors and 0.04% misidentification errors).

Conclusion: Routine application of the CVS reduces BDI, but does not eliminate them altogether. Besides operative notes, the CVS should be documented by an imaging modality of sufficient quality. When the CVS cannot be safely established, the threshold for bail-out alternatives or complementary imaging should be low. Adoption by the surgical community worldwide shows great variability and focus should be placed on training through structured educational modules.