Closure of the cystic duct orifice in laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy for severe cholecystitis.

Introduction: Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) has been recognized as an alternative to conversion to laparotomy for severe cholecystitis. However, it may be associated with an increased risk of recurrent stones in the gallbladder remnant. The objective of this study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of the complete removal of the gallbladder cavity in LSC for severe cholecystitis using the cystic duct orifice suturing (CDOS) technique.

Methods: In a consecutive series of 412 laparoscopic cholecystectomies that were performed from January 2015 to June 2017, 12 patients who underwent LSC with CDOS were enrolled in this retrospective study. In this procedure, Hartmann's pouch was carefully identified, and the infundibulum-cystic duct junction was transected while the posterior wall adherent to Calot's triangle was left behind. The clinical records, including the operative records and outcomes, were analyzed.

Results: The median operating time and blood loss were 158 min and 20 mL, respectively. In all cases, LSC with CDOS was completed without conversion to open surgery. No injuries to the bile duct or vessels were experienced. The median postoperative hospital stay was 6 days. Postoperative complications occurred in two patients (bile leakage, n = 1: common bile duct stones, n = 1) and were successfully treated by endoscopic management. A gallbladder remnant was not delineated by postoperative imaging in any of the cases.

Conclusion: These results suggest that LSC with CDOS is a promising approach that can avoid dissection of Calot's triangle and achieve the complete removal of the gallbladder cavity in patients with severe cholecystitis.