DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2013.v01i06.0070

Pages: 967-971

Cholecystectomy is the most common major abdominal procedure performed in now a days. In 1987, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was introduced by Philipe Mouret in France and quickly revolutionized the treatment of gallstones. Today, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for symptomatic gallstones. The recent focus has been on the development of single-port and single-incision laparoscopic surgery (SILS) to further minimize the invasiveness of laparoscopic surgery by reducing the number of incisions. SILS can be performed using refinements of existing technology, and surgeons can perform SILS without any new instruments, specific competence, or training. SILS may offer the advantages of reducing postoperative pain, and virtually scarless surgery. The study was a prospective randomized study done in the department of surgery in our institution for a period of one year. Total 50 patients diagnosed with cholelithiasis were alternatively randomized to undergo either SILC (n=25) or CLC (n=25). The mean operative time measured as the time required to insert the trocar and close the wound, was 107.84 minutes for SILC (SD=13.74 min) and 79.96 minutes for CLC (SD=19.93 minutes). Out of 25 patients undergoing SILC, 4 patients (16%) were converted to CLC while in 25 patients undergoing CLC, 2 patients (8%) were converted to open approach. The mean postoperative pain score as assessed on VAS scale was 4.36, 2.24 and 1.68 on day 1,2 and 3 respectively for SILC and for CLC, it was 6.60, 4.8 and 2.44 for day 1,2 and 3 respectively. The mean postoperative analgesic requirements (mg of diclofenac sodium) was 225,129 and 33 mg on day 1,2 and 3 respectively for SILC respectively while for CLC, it was 225, 159 and 54 mg on day 1,2 and 3 respectively. The mean hospital stay for both CLC and SILC was 3 days. The most common complication seen in SILC group was persistent pain in 12% of patients while in CLC group, persistent pain and wound infection was present in 20% of pa