Laparoscopic Laser Cholecystectomy

Abstract

Abstact A minimally invasive technique for laser cholecystectomy through a laparoscope is presented. This procedure has been performed on six patients. In one patient, the procedure was converted into an open operation. The other five had minimal hospital stays and returned to unrestricted activity within one week. This preliminary series demonstrates that the operation can be performed safely. It leaves minimal scars and allows the patient to return to normal activities sooner than would be expected with a standard open cholecystectomy. Laser laparoscopic cholecystectomy currently is limited to selected patients but may become an alternative to an open procedure as more experience is gained.