Comparison of the quality of life after minilaparotomy cholecystectomy versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a prospective randomized study.

Background: Earlier studies comparing minilaparotomy cholecystectomy with laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not find significant differences between the MC and the LC groups in operating times and patients' recovery.

Objectives: To compare the postoperative quality of life between the MC and LC groups.

Methods: The 157 patients with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones, confirmed by ultrasound, were randomized to two groups: 85 for MC and 72 for LC. The study was prospective and randomized but not blinded or consecutive. The study groups were similar in patients' age, gender, body mass index, American Association of Anesthesiology physical fitness classification, and the operating surgeon. Patients were reevaluated 4 weeks after operation using the RAND-36 quality of life questionnaire.

Results: The RAND-36 questionnaire did not identify statistically significant differences between the study groups in general health perceptions, physical functioning, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy, bodily pain, and role functioning/emotional score. Only the role functioning/physical score was slightly higher in the LC group (P= 0.038).

Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the MC procedure is a good alternative to the LC procedure, when postoperative quality of life is measured.