Changes in Post-Operative Compared to Pre-Operative Level of Liver Function Tests in Patients Undergoing Elective Lap Cholecystectomy in Tertiary Care Centre

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains the preferred surgical intervention for patients with symptomatic gallstone disease, owing to its minimally invasive nature, reduced postoperative discomfort, shorter hospitalization, and faster recovery. Nevertheless, fluctuations in liver function tests (LFTs) following surgery continue to raise concerns, as they may reflect either benign physiological responses or early indications of complications. The aim is to assess alterations in LFT parameters before surgery and on postoperative days 1 and 5 in individuals undergoing elective LC. Material and Methods: This longitudinal observational analysis included 229 patients aged 18–75 years who underwent LC for symptomatic gallstones at a tertiary care institution. Patients with hepatobiliary malignancy, choledocholithiasis, viral hepatitis, diabetes or those converted to open surgery were excluded. Total bilirubin (TB), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were measured preoperatively, and again on postoperative days 1 and 5. Data were processed using SPSS v20. Results: Postoperative day 1 demonstrated a statistically significant increase in TB (0.745 to 0.976 mg/dL), ALP (49.358 to 62.131 IU/L) and ALT (22.445 to 30.563 IU/L) followed by a downward trend by day 5. AST values did not change significantly. Conclusion: Short-lived postoperative elevations in select LFT parameters are a frequent finding after LC and are generally not linked to adverse clinical outcomes. Routine post-LC LFT surveillance is unwarranted unless prompted by clinical symptoms. Additional studies focusing on patients with baseline hepatic dysfunction are recommended to refine perioperative strategies.