Feasibility and Safety of Laparoscopic Gallbladder Resection for Gallbladder Tumours

Abstract

Background/aim: The laparoscopic approach is not widely used for gallbladder tumours because of the high degree of malignancy associated with gallbladder cancer and technical difficulties. This study aimed to clarify the feasibility and safety of laparoscopic gallbladder resection for gallbladder tumours.

Patients and methods: This retrospective study enrolled patients who underwent laparoscopic whole-layer cholecystectomy or laparoscopic gallbladder bed resection for gallbladder tumours between April 2010 and December 2020. We analysed the perioperative and oncological outcomes of patients with gallbladder carcinoma.

Results: The cohort comprised 31 patients, including 13 who underwent laparoscopic whole-layer cholecystectomy and 18 who underwent laparoscopic gallbladder bed resection. Twenty patients were diagnosed with gallbladder cancer. Three patients (15%) had metastases in harvested lymph nodes. No postoperative complications were observed. Recurrence occurred in four patients; the primary location was the liver in three patients and lymph node in two. The 1-, 3-, and 5-year recurrence-free survival and overall survival rates were 87%, 78.3%, and 58.8%, and 100%, 70.5%, and 70.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: Our surgical strategy enables safe and curative gallbladder resection for gallbladder tumours, without excess or insufficient resection.

Keywords: Gallbladder cancer; laparoscopic gallbladder bed resection; laparoscopic whole-layer cholecystectomy; radical cholecystectomy.