Combined Use of Mini-Laparoscope and Conventional Laparoscope in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Preservation of Minimal Invasiveness

ABSTRACT Mini-laparoscopic cholecystectomy using a 2-mm mini-laparoscope has been reported to be beneficial but technically difficult. This study attempted to evaluate the relative efficacy of a new method, which provides the benefits of both conventional and minilaparoscopic cholecystectomy. From March 1997 to December 1997, 143 patients (49 men, 94 women, mean age 52.6 years, range 20–79), American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) class I–II, underwent elective cholecystectomy by a combination of a 2-mm mini-laparoscope and 10-mm conventional laparoscope (combined lap-aroscopic cholecystectomy, C group) in National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. The entire procedure was done through four ports (one 11-mm port and three 2-mm ports). For comparison, records from 46 patients receiving mini-laparoscopic cholecystectomy (M group, 17 men, 29 women, mean age 49.0 years, range 26–76) and 139 patients receiving conventional laparoscopic cholecystectomy (L group, 47 men, 92 women, mean age 51.2 years,...