Susanna Haverinen, Evelina Pajus, Gabriel Sandblom, Yücel Cengiz
{"title":"Indocyanine green fluorescence improves safety in laparoscopic cholecystectomy using the Fundus First technique: a retrospective study.","authors":"Susanna Haverinen, Evelina Pajus, Gabriel Sandblom, Yücel Cengiz","doi":"10.3389/fsurg.2025.1516709","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Introduction: </strong>As one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world, safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is of utmost importance. Indocyanine green (ICG) has been used for different medical purposes including assessment of liver function since the 1950s. Its use during LC was first described in 2009 by Ishizawa. Since ICG is excreted in the bile, its fluorescent properties can be used to illuminate the bile ducts, and may reduce the risk for bile duct injury and other complications. Previous studies have compared ICG with conventional visualization showing shorter operation time and lower conversion rates during LC performed with traditional operation techniques. Results from LC performed with the Fundus First method (FF-LC) and ICG fluorescence has not been previously reported. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare LC with and without the aid of ICG fluorescence at a Swedish hospital routinely performing FF-LC.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data from all patients operated with LC at Sundsvall General Hospital before and after the implementation of routine ICG between 2016 and 2023 were analyzed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study included 2,009 patients; 1,455 operated with ICG (ICG-group) and 549 without (comparison group). FF-LC was used in 94.9% of all operations. The groups were comparable regarding gender, BMI, age, presence of acute cholecystitis and proportion urgent/elective surgery. ICG was found to be safe, with similar 30-day complication rates between study groups. A lower conversion rate was seen in the ICG-group (1.2% vs. 3.3%, <i>p</i> = 0.001) and there was a non-significant reduction in readmissions (<i>p</i> = 0.054). In univariate analysis, ICG was associated with prolonged operation time, but this was not supported in multivariate analysis. Time to cholangiography was prolonged in the ICG-group in both univariate and multivariate analyses.</p><p><strong>Discussion: </strong>ICG fluorescence is an adjunct that could improve the operative safety. Implementation of routine ICG fluorescence at this Swedish hospital was found to be safe and efficient, suggesting improvement in safety during FF-LC. Further studies are needed to see if ICG increases safety in LC.</p>","PeriodicalId":12564,"journal":{"name":"Frontiers in Surgery","volume":"12 ","pages":"1516709"},"PeriodicalIF":1.6000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11798932/pdf/","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Frontiers in Surgery","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.3389/fsurg.2025.1516709","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2025/1/1 0:00:00","PubModel":"eCollection","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"SURGERY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: As one of the most commonly performed surgeries in the world, safety during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is of utmost importance. Indocyanine green (ICG) has been used for different medical purposes including assessment of liver function since the 1950s. Its use during LC was first described in 2009 by Ishizawa. Since ICG is excreted in the bile, its fluorescent properties can be used to illuminate the bile ducts, and may reduce the risk for bile duct injury and other complications. Previous studies have compared ICG with conventional visualization showing shorter operation time and lower conversion rates during LC performed with traditional operation techniques. Results from LC performed with the Fundus First method (FF-LC) and ICG fluorescence has not been previously reported. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare LC with and without the aid of ICG fluorescence at a Swedish hospital routinely performing FF-LC.
Methods: Data from all patients operated with LC at Sundsvall General Hospital before and after the implementation of routine ICG between 2016 and 2023 were analyzed.
Results: The study included 2,009 patients; 1,455 operated with ICG (ICG-group) and 549 without (comparison group). FF-LC was used in 94.9% of all operations. The groups were comparable regarding gender, BMI, age, presence of acute cholecystitis and proportion urgent/elective surgery. ICG was found to be safe, with similar 30-day complication rates between study groups. A lower conversion rate was seen in the ICG-group (1.2% vs. 3.3%, p = 0.001) and there was a non-significant reduction in readmissions (p = 0.054). In univariate analysis, ICG was associated with prolonged operation time, but this was not supported in multivariate analysis. Time to cholangiography was prolonged in the ICG-group in both univariate and multivariate analyses.
Discussion: ICG fluorescence is an adjunct that could improve the operative safety. Implementation of routine ICG fluorescence at this Swedish hospital was found to be safe and efficient, suggesting improvement in safety during FF-LC. Further studies are needed to see if ICG increases safety in LC.
期刊介绍:
Evidence of surgical interventions go back to prehistoric times. Since then, the field of surgery has developed into a complex array of specialties and procedures, particularly with the advent of microsurgery, lasers and minimally invasive techniques. The advanced skills now required from surgeons has led to ever increasing specialization, though these still share important fundamental principles.
Frontiers in Surgery is the umbrella journal representing the publication interests of all surgical specialties. It is divided into several “Specialty Sections” listed below. All these sections have their own Specialty Chief Editor, Editorial Board and homepage, but all articles carry the citation Frontiers in Surgery.
Frontiers in Surgery calls upon medical professionals and scientists from all surgical specialties to publish their experimental and clinical studies in this journal. By assembling all surgical specialties, which nonetheless retain their independence, under the common umbrella of Frontiers in Surgery, a powerful publication venue is created. Since there is often overlap and common ground between the different surgical specialties, assembly of all surgical disciplines into a single journal will foster a collaborative dialogue amongst the surgical community. This means that publications, which are also of interest to other surgical specialties, will reach a wider audience and have greater impact.
The aim of this multidisciplinary journal is to create a discussion and knowledge platform of advances and research findings in surgical practice today to continuously improve clinical management of patients and foster innovation in this field.