COMPARISON OF THE RISK OF SURGICAL SITE INFECTION AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY AND OPEN CHOLECYSTECTOMY: A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has progressively replaced traditional open surgery due to its minimally invasive nature, reduced postoperative pain, faster functional recovery, and lower risk of surgical site infections. As surgical site infections continue to pose a significant burden on patient outcomes and healthcare systems, understanding how operative techniques influence infection rates remains clinically important. This study evaluates and compares infection-related outcomes associated with laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy, with the aim of strengthening evidence for surgical decision-making and improving postoperative care standards. Objective: To compare the frequency of surgical site infections and associated postoperative complications between laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy. Methods: A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at Arif Memorial Teaching Hospital over four months. A total of 250 patients were enrolled, including 125 who underwent open cholecystectomy (Group A) and 125 who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (Group B). Patients were followed for four weeks postoperatively and assessed weekly for superficial incisional, deep incisional, and organ-space infections using standardized clinical criteria. Data were analyzed using SPSS 2023, with frequencies, percentages, means, and standard deviations used to describe outcomes. Inferential statistical tests, including chi-square analysis, were applied to compare infection rates between groups. Results: Surgical site infections occurred in 10 patients in Group A and 6 patients in Group B. Incisional infections were identified in 6 patients in Group A compared with 3 patients in Group B. Organ-space infections were reported equally across groups, affecting 3 patients each. Male-to-female distribution was 60:65 in Group A and 50:75 in Group B. Mean ages were 38 ± 11.55 years in Group A and 37.5 ± 10.1 years in Group B. Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy demonstrated a lower overall risk of surgical site and incisional infections compared with the open approach, while organ-space infections remained similar across both groups. These findings support the preference for laparoscopy when feasible, although open surgery remains essential in selected clinical situations.