BLIND VERSUS OPEN APPROACH TO LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY - A RANDOMIZED STUDY

Intraabdominal structures may be damaged during blind introduction of the first trocar for laparoscopic operations. In this study, 150 patie nts with gallbladder lithiasis who underwent laparoscopy were randomly assigned to two groups, a blind (V group) or an open (H group), in or der to compare the results and the rate of complications. No mortality was observed. Major complications occurred in 3/75 (4%) patients of t he V group and in 1/75 (1.3%) patient of the H group (p < 0.05). Minor complications occurred in 5/75 (6.7%) patients of either group. The a chievement of pneumoperitoneum required 4.5 +/- 0.4 min in the V group and 3.2 +/- 0.2 min in the H group (p < 0.05). The open laparoscopic technique is safer and faster than the blind approach; therefore, it i s proposed that this approach be routinely used in all laparoscopic pr ocedures.