Minimally invasive radical cholecystectomy as a safe alternative to open radical cholecystectomy

Abstract

Background: Gallbladder cancer today accounts for an estimated 1.2% of all new cancer diagnoses worldwide. For localized stage T1b gallbladder cancer and above, the treatment of choice is a radical cholecystectomy with negative gross and histologic margins. This procedure involves removal of the gallbladder and a portion of the liver, with or without concurrent resection of the bile duct and regional lymph nodes. In the past, performing this resection laparoscopically has been contraindicated due to fears of increased metastasis and inadequate lymph node sampling. With the advancement of laparoscopic techniques, however, minimally invasive radical cholecystectomies have the potential to be as safe and effective as the classic, open approach. This study seeks to use the current available literature to compare outcomes between an open and a laparoscopic radical cholecystectomy.