Clinical experience of needle‐laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Forty‐eight cholecystectomy cases were successfully treated at Luohu hospital by needle laparoscopy. The patients were aged 22–69 years and included 36 cases of gallstones, 9 cases of gallbladder polyps, and 3 cases of gallbladder polyps with gallstones. All patients recovered and left hospital 1–3 days postoperatively (average 2.6 ± 0.6 days). There were minimal complications from the surgery and patients recovered quickly. Because the needle laparoscope is more difficult to use than the standard laparoscope, both surgeon and assistant must practise its use, first on cholecystitis cases with minor inflammation, especially in those patients whose gallbladder walls are thinner than 3 mm on ultrasound. Generally, the needle laparoscope is used for inserting titanium clips when the gallbladder is removed. The operation can best be performed by surgeons experienced in laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the standard laparoscope.