Is laser more useful than electrocautery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Abstract

The Nd-YAG laser was compared to the electrocautery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Eighty one cases were reviewed with thirty two patients in the laser group and forty nine patients in the electrocautery group. The operative time and the postoperative hospital stay were almost same in each group. Gallbladder perforation during the dissection of the gallbladder bed occured in 10 percents of each group patients. There were no difference in liver function at one postoperative day between two groups. Although the rate of postoperative complications was slightly high in the electrocautery group, the causes of complications were not related to the energy source. These results suggest that the laser is not superior to the electrocautery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.