Safety and feasibility of cystic artery control with bipolar electrocauterization during laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Securing the cystic artery in laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be achieved with clips, electrocautery, and ultramodern vessel-sealing energy devices. Bipolar electrocoagulation of cystic artery is safe and a cost-effective measure in developing countries. The rationale of this current prospective study was to establish the safety and feasibility of bipolar electrocautery in securing cystic artery during laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the local setting. Patients who were eligible for laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Aswan University Hospital’s General Surgery Department were included. One hundred twenty patients were included in our study. Most of the participants were females, representing 93.33% of patients. The mean age of participants was 39.93±9.97 years, and 95.83% were overweight or obese. The mean±SD operative time was 88.57±28.06 min, and the median (interquartile range) was 84 min (33.25 min). Also, the mean±SD hospital stay was 1.12±0.57 days, and the median (interquartile range) was 1 (0) day. There was no intraoperative bleeding from the cystic artery nor from the right hepatic artery. No visceral injury was encountered. The success rate of the operation was 100%. None needed to be redone. No case needed conversion to open surgery. In conclusion, in resource-constrained settings where the harmonic scalpel and all advanced bipolar instruments like ENSEAL and Legasure raise issues regarding cost and accessibility, bipolar diathermy is effective in hemostatic control of the cystic artery during laparoscopic cholecystectomy.