Navigation with laparoscopic ultrasound during fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy-a single-centre retrospective case control study

Abstract Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is considered as the gold standard treatment for cholecystolithiasis. The critical view of safety is a generally accepted technique of intraoperative visualization but during inflammation and fibrosis in the region of Calot’s triangle it may fail. Fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy with laparoscopic ultrasound navigation may be an attractive bail-out option when the intraoperative conditions are difficult. Methods The study group consisted of 900 patients with symptomatic cholecystolithiasis which was divided into two subgroups. The first subgroup where the only method of intraoperative identification was the critical view of safety consisted of 402 patients, the second subgroup where the critical view of safety and laparoscopic ultrasound were used consisted of 498 patients. In the first subgroup fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 13 patients, in the second subgroup in 42 patients. Statistical analysis included the Mann-Whitney U test for continuous and Fisher’s exact test for binary variables. The level of statistical significance was set at 95% (p < 0.05). Results Fundus-first technique was significantly more often in the subgroup with laparoscopic ultrasound and the hospitalization time of fundus-first laparoscopic cholecystectomies was significantly shorter than in converted cases. The mean time of laparoscopic cholecystectomy and the mean time to obtain the transection level between the gallbladder and the hepatoduodenal ligament were significantly shorter and the conversion rate was significantly lower in the fundus-first and laparoscopic ultrasound group. Conclusions Fundus-first technique with laparoscopic ultrasound navigation may be a very efficient bail-out option during laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to a more precisely and significantly faster defined plane of dissection what enables safe performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy with significantly lower rate of conversions.