Intraabdominal contamination after gallbladder perforation during laparoscopic cholecystectomy and its complications.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder perforation often occurs during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

METHODS: The frequency and causes of gallbladder perforation as well as the relevant clinical background factors were investigated in 110 patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We also evaluated intraperitoneal contamination by bacteria and gallstones at the time of gallbladder perforation and investigated whether perforation caused early or late postoperative complications.

RESULTS: Intraoperative gallbladder perforation occurred in 29 of the 110 patients (26.3%). It was caused by injury with an electric knife during dissection of the gallbladder bed, injury during gallbladder retraction with grasping forceps, injury during gallbladder extraction from the abdomen, and slippage of cystic duct clips (potentially causing bile and stone spillage). Perforation was more frequent in patients with positive bile cultures and in those with pigment stones (p < 0.02), but not in patients with cholecystitis or cystic duct obstruction. The peritoneal cavity was contaminated by bacteria in 11/29 patients (37.9%) and by spilled stones in 3/29 patients (10.3%). There was no difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the patients with and without perforation either in the early postoperative period or during follow-up for 24-42 months. Only one patient developed abdominal pain and fever in the early postoperative period, and they were probably related to perforation.

CONCLUSIONS: Although gallbladder perforation is sometimes unavoidable during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the risk of severe complications appears to be minimized by early closure of perforation, retrieval of as many of the spilled stones as possible, and intraperitoneal lavage.