An investigation of the quality of life of female patients operated by laparoscopic or open way for uncomplicated cholecystolithiasis

INTRODUCTION: In many investigations concerning the results of surgical treatment of gallbladder stones, generally American or international data are cited, as national data are scarce, or even do not exist. This paper was written to complement Polish data with a comparison of patients' views about two methods of operating gallbladder stones commonly applied in our country. The purpose of the paper was to compare the quality of life of female patients operated for uncomplicated cholecystolithiasis in regional hospitals of Poland. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The study material was comprised of two groups of 100 patients each, from two regional hospitals. In one of the hospitals the patients were treated only by laparoscopic cholecystectomy alone. As in the other hospital only by open cholecystecomy. The age of the patients whom were operated by open cholecystecomy varied between 19 and 90 years, median 56, mean 54.6 SD +/- 15.4 years. Whereas, in the group treated by the laparoscopic method the age varied between 23 and 72 years, median 48, mean 49.7 SD +/- 11 years. The investigation was performed between the second and twelfth month after the operation, median 6 for both, mean 6.2 SD +/- 2 for open and mean 6.9 SD +/- 2 for the laparoscopic method. BMI of the investigated patients was between 17.7 and 33.1, median 26.3, mean 26 +/- 2.7 in the open group, and between 18.1 and 34.6, median 24.2, mean 24.7 +/- 3.2 in the laparoscopic group. As a diagnostic tool a standardized Gastrointestinal Quality of Life Questionnaire (GQLI) was used, enriched by demographic questions, self-assessment of postoperative well-being, smoking habits, and postoperative pains and complications. RESULTS: General GQLI score was within range of good quality of life in both groups. However, quality of life was significantly better in the group operated by open cholecystectomy than the one operated by the laparoscopic method (median 131 vs. 125, respectively, p < 0.022). Postoperative complications were in majority reported by patients from the open group. The possible reasons of such results are discussed in comparison with national and international results of treatment of gallbladder stones. CONCLUSIONS: There are several other factors, which besides the entire operation, can have influence on the quality of life of patients operated for uncomplicated cholecystolithiasis. These biases can significantly change the end results of quality of life of these patients, however, quality of life remains within good limits in both groups.