Postoperative Complications in Laparoscopic vs. Open Cholecystectomy: A Cross-Sectional Study

Open Access

Abstract

Introduction: Gallstone disease is one of the most common surgical conditions requiring cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy are widely used treatment approaches, each associated with different postoperative outcomes. This study aimed to compare postoperative complications and recovery outcomes between laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional comparative study was conducted in the Department of Surgery, Sir Salimullah Medical College & Mitford Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh from January 2025 to December 2025. A total of 104 patients diagnosed with symptomatic gallstone disease and scheduled for cholecystectomy were included in the study. Patients were selected using purposive sampling and were divided into two groups according to the surgical procedure performed: laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) (n=62) and open cholecystectomy (OC) (n=42). Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26.0. Result: The laparoscopic group demonstrated significantly better postoperative outcomes, including shorter operative time (68.5±14.2 vs. 82.7±16.4 minutes), lower blood loss (58.3±21.6 vs. 122.8±45.3 mL), shorter hospital stay (2.3±0.9 vs. 5.1±1.7 days), and earlier return to normal activities (11.2±3.4 vs. 21.8±5.7 days) (p<0.001 for all). Postoperative pain was less severe in the laparoscopic group, and rates of surgical site infection (3.2% vs. 16.7%), fever (4.8% vs. 19.0%), and wound seroma (1.6% vs. 11.9%) were significantly lower. Overall postoperative complications occurred in 14.5% of laparoscopic cases compared with 38.1% of open cases (p=0.006). Additionally, recovery without morbidity was achieved in 93.5% of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus 81.0% of those undergoing open cholecystectomy. Conclusion: This study shows that laparoscopic cholecystectomy provides better postoperative outcomes than open cholecystectomy, with less pain, fewer complications, reduced blood loss, shorter hospital stay, and faster recovery. Overall, it is associated with improved patient recovery and lower morbidity.