Rules and technical tricks in extremely difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies

We remind you of some technical artifices required in order to resolve difficult cases, such as: antegrade laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), subtotal laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLC) and the “stairs” clipping of the cystic duct. Also we acknowledge the closing of the cystic duct. We analyzed the medical records of 15251 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed during 1994-2015, with emphasis on: surgical technique, conversion rate, hemorrhage, postoperative bile leaking, iatrogenic MBD injuries and mortality. We divided the cases in 5 study groups, group 1 (1994- 2004) N= 5138, group 2 (2005-2015) N= 10113, group 3 (fundus first cholecystectomies, N=2348), group 4 (retrograde cholecystectomies, N=12889) and group 5 (subtotal laparoscopic cholecystectomy-SLC, N=14) which we compared regarding the main parameters. We prefer to perform a “step by step” clipping each time the length of the clip does not cover all the circumference of the cystic duct. This artifices, is a simple laparoscopic gesture easy to perform and has the advantage of avoiding a large excessive and risky laparoscopic dissection in the vicinity of the main biliary duct. More seldom we appeal to the suture of the cystic stump using the intracorporeal knots or a simple stump ligation with an extracorporeal preformed not. We did not encounter any late or early complications following the implementation of this technical laparoscopic artifice. Laborious laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed by a well-trained surgical team ensure the premises of a good performance even while adopting laparoscopic ingenious and difficile gestures that also respect the intraoperatory rules and principals

Errors and complications in laparoscopic surgery

Background. In laparoscopic surgery errors are unavoidable and require proper acknowledgment to reduce the risk of intraoperative and accurately assess the appropriate therapeutic approach. Fortunately, their frequency is low and cannot overshadow the benefits of laparoscopic surgery. Materials and Methods. We made an epidemiological investigation in General Surgery Department of Emergency Clinical Hospital "St. John" Bucharest, analyzing 20 years of experience in laparoscopic surgery, during 1994-2014. We wanted to identify evolution trends in complications of laparoscopic surgery, analyzing the dynamic of errors occurred in all patients with laparoscopic procedures. Results. We recorded 26847 laparoscopic interventions with a total of 427 intra-or postoperative complications that required 160 conversions and 267 reinterventions to resolve inconsistencies. The average frequency of occurrence of complications was 15.9‰ (15.9 of 1,000 cases). In the period under review it was a good momentum of laparoscopic procedures in our department. Number of minimally invasive interventions increased almost 10 times, from 266 cases operated laparoscopically in 1995 to 2638 cases in 2008. Annual growth of the number of laparoscopic procedures has surpassed the number of complications. Conclusions. Laborious work of laparoscopic surgery and a specialized centre with well-trained team of surgeons provide premises for a good performance even in the assimilation of new and difficult procedures