Background and aim: To examine the impact of day-care laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with ultrasonic scissors dissection versus diathermy hook dissection method in a randomized setting.
Methods: From April 2012 to September 2014, a total of 169 elective day-care patients were randomized to undergo either laparoscopic cholecystectomy with ultrasonic scissors using fundus-first approach (n = 88) or diathermy hook dissection starting from the triangle of Calot (n = 79). Main measures of outcome were operative time, same-day discharge and intraoperative complications. Secondary outcome measures were postoperative pain (numeric rating scale), postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV), readmissions and 30-day morbidity.
Results: Median operative time was similar in the ultrasonic dissection and diathermy hook dissection groups (45 vs 45 min, p = 0.95). Same-day discharge was possible in 77 patients (87 %) in the ultrasonic dissection group and in 69 patients (87 %) in the diathermy group, p = 0.98. Intraoperative gallbladder perforations, mean intraoperative bleeding, postoperative pain and PONV at 1, 2 and 4 h (p = 0.78) did not differ significantly between the study groups.
Conclusion: Day-care LC using either diathermy hook or ultrasonic dissection resulted in excellent same-day discharge in both groups (87 %). LC with ultrasonic dissection does not offer any clinical advantages compared to diathermy dissection.
Keywords: Cholecystectomy; Day surgery; Laparoscopy; Ultrasonic dissection.