Subtotal Cholecystectomy: Results of a Single-Center, Registry-Based Retrospective Cohort Study of 180 Adults in 2011–2018

Introduction: Data on subtotal cholecystectomy (STC) as an alternative to conventional cholecystectomy in difficult surgical situations are limited. This multiaspectual report aims to reduce the STC-specific knowledge gap and inform clinical decision-making strategies. Materials and Methods: All 180 patients who underwent STC at a single center between 2011 and 2017 were assessed in this retrospective cohort study. Their outcomes were followed up until March 23, 2018. Six subgroups stratified by surgical setting (elective/nonelective), surgical approach used (open/laparoscopic), and type of STC (reconstituting/fenestrating) were compared. Results: The ratio of conventional to STC procedures was 13:1. Of the 180 patients, 150 had a history of hospitalization for the acute biliary disease. The proportion of all cholecystectomies that were STC ranged from 1% to 71% between individual surgeons; similarly, laparoscopic STC comprised 0%–97% of all STCs. STC was associated with high intraoperative ( n = 19; 10.6%) and short-term postoperative ( n = 159; 88.3%) complication rates. There were three significant intraoperative complications—bleeding ( n = 8; 4.4%), bile duct injury ( n = 7; 3.9%), and intestinal injury ( n = 4; 2.2%). The most common postoperative surgical site complications were external bile leak (21%), wound infection (17%), and biloma (10%). Associations between fenestrating STC and the rates of postoperative bile leak and retained gallstones, mainly in the main bile duct, were detected. Conclusions: STC-associated perioperative morbidity is significant. There is a substantial investigation burden. Injuries can be avoided when conversion to STC is timely, and its technical variant is correctly selected. The STC rate is a potential key performance indicator monitoring gallbladder surgery practice.