Importance of critical view of safety in laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a survey of 120 serial patients, with no incidence of complications

BACKGROUNDS/AIMS: To determine the importance of critical view of safety techniques in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: A total of 120 patients were included in the study, between January 2015 to March 2016. Hydrodissection was performed for cases presenting with severe adhesions or cholecystitis. A critical view of safety was performed for all patients undergoing the procedure for isolation of cystic duct and cystic artery with cystic plate dissection. Demographic characteristics of the patients, as well as intraoperative and postoperative minor or major complications were recorded. RESULTS: A total of 81 (67.5%) female and 39 (32.5%) male patients succesfully underwent surgeries following the critical view of safety and hydrodissection technique. Acute/chronic cholecystitis, or severe adhesions in the surgical field, were detected in 34 (28.3%) patients. There were no intraoperative or postoperative biliary complications. Wound infection was detected in 5 (4.1%) patients. All patients were discharged on either the first, second or third postoperative day. CONCLUSIONS: Biliary duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an important complication. In this study, we show that the critical view of safety and hydrodissection techniquesminimizes the bile duct injury during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, including in difficult cases.