Causes of conversion of videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy in the Second Department of Surgical Clinic and the Emergency Department of the Hospital de Clínicas, FCM UNA (2015-2018)

Abstract

Introduction: Videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard procedure for symptomatic cholelithiasis, however, there are cases in which it is not possible to perform cholecystectomy by videolaparoscopy and the conversion to open surgery should be performed. The aim was to identify the causes of conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomies in the Hospital de Clínicas. Materials and methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional study, non-probabilistic sampling. 509 clinical records were analyzed from the Second Department of Surgical Clinic and the Adult Emergency Department of the Hospital de Clínicas (2015-2018). Variables were included such as conversion of laparoscopic surgery to open, cause of conversion, surgical time, scheduled or emergency surgery, pre and postoperative diagnosis, complications and comorbidities. Results: 72.9% were female. The main reason for consultation was pain in the right hypochondrium (52.65%). Only 7.1% were converted and the main cause was due to adhesions (44.44%). The mean surgical time was 97.65 minutes. The main complication was bleeding from the gallbladder bed (1.2%). Conclusion: The most common causes of conversion were adhesions, bleeding from the gallbladder bed, technical failures and difficulty in recognizing anatomical elements.