Systemic inflammation and immune response after laparotomy vs laparoscopy in patients with acute cholecystitis, complicated by peritonitis

Figure 4 Change in plasma elastase concentration in the open cholecystectomy group and laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. Regarding polymorphonuclear (PMN)-elastase values, the difference between baseline values and post-operative values were significant in both groups (using the Friedman test, ^aP < 0.05). Concerning significance between baseline values and post-operative values, they were significant at day 1, 3 and 6 after surgery (P = 0.047) using the Mann-Whitney U test; P < 0.05. LC: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; OC: Open cholecystectomy.