Evaluating the Outcomes of Laparoscopic versus Open Cholecystectomy in a Community Hospital Setting

Background: Gallstone obstruction is the most common reason for presenting acute cholecystitis (AC), where inflammation may have dire consequences. Given that the laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) process is minimally invasive and more beneficial than other surgical operations such as open cholecystectomy (OC). Methods: This was a prospective observational study comparing LC and OC in a one-year follow-up from a community hospital in Larkana. Descriptive statistics and inferential tests apply to collect and analyze data on patient demographics, surgical details, postoperative problems, and recovery factors. Results: Out of the 70 patients, 50 had LC, and 20 had OC. Significantly shorter hospital stays (2.3±1.1 days) and surgical times (75.2±20.4 minutes vs. 105.6±25.3 minutes, p<0.001) were linked to LC. The LC group experienced shorter recovery times (10.4± 3.7 days vs. 18.6±5.2 days, p<0.001) and lower postoperative pain levels (3.2±1.1 vs. 5.6±1.7, p<0.001). Although the OC group had proportionally greater rates of gastrointestinal problems, wound infections, and bleeding, the differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: A shorter operative time, less hospitalization, less postoperative pain score, and faster recovery were observed with LC compared to OC. Further studies are needed to confirm these results; thus, LC is recommended as the surgical strategy of choice for AC.