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World J Clin Cases. Jun 6, 2023; 11(16): 3694-3705
Published online Jun 6, 2023. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v11.i16.3694
Application of laparoscopic surgery in gallbladder carcinoma
Xin Wu, Bing-Lu Li, Chao-Ji Zheng
Xin Wu, Bing-Lu Li, Chao-Ji Zheng, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100730, China
Author contributions: All authors helped to perform the research; Wu X performed manuscript writing and data analysis; Li BL contributed to manuscript conception and design; Zheng CJ contributed to manuscript conception, design, and writing.
Supported by Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences Innovation Fund for Medical Sciences, No. 2022-I2M-C&T-A-004; and National High Level Hospital Clinical Research Funding, No. 2022-PUMCH-B-005.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: https://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Corresponding author: Bing-Lu Li, MD, Professor, Department of General Surgery, Peking Union Medical College Hospital, No. 1 Shuaifuyuan, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100730, China. pumchlibinglu@163.com
Received: December 10, 2022
Peer-review started: December 10, 2022
First decision: February 7, 2023
Revised: March 4, 2023
Accepted: April 19, 2023
Article in press: April 19, 2023
Published online: June 6, 2023
Abstract

Gallbladder carcinoma (GC) is a rare type of cancer of the digestive system, with an incidence that varies by region. Surgery plays a primary role in the comprehensive treatment of GC and is the only known cure. Compared with traditional open surgery, laparoscopic surgery has the advantages of convenient operation and magnified field of view. Laparoscopic surgery has been successful in many fields, including gastrointestinal medicine and gynecology. The gallbladder was one of the first organs to be treated by laparoscopic surgery, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the gold standard surgical treatment for benign gallbladder diseases. However, the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery for patients with GC remain controversial. Over the past several decades, research has focused on laparoscopic surgery for GC. The disadvantages of laparoscopic surgery include a high incidence of gallbladder perforation, possible port site metastasis, and potential tumor seeding. The advantages of laparoscopic surgery include less intraoperative blood loss, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and fewer complications. Nevertheless, studies have provided contrasting conclusions over time. In general, recent research has tended to support laparoscopic surgery. However, the application of laparoscopic surgery in GC is still in the exploratory stage. Here, we provide an overview of previous studies, with the aim of introducing the application of laparoscopy in GC.

Keywords: Gallbladder carcinoma, Laparoscopic surgery, Open surgery, Gallbladder perforation, Port site metastases, Prognosis

Core Tip: Gallbladder carcinoma (GC) is a rare cancer of the digestive system. Surgery is the main treatment strategy for this disease. The gallbladder was one of the first organs to undergo laparoscopic surgery. However, the safety and feasibility of laparoscopic surgery in patients with GC remain controversial. The disadvantages and advantages of laparoscopic surgery have been reported by different studies. In general, recent studies have tended to support laparoscopic surgery by experienced surgeons in selected patients. Clinical research with high-level evidence is required to validate the existing conclusions.