Laparoscopic Radical Resection of Gallbladder Cancer

Abstract

Gallbladder (GB) cancer is an aggressive malignancy, and the prognosis for most patients is poor. The median overall survival time is 10 months (Duffy et al. 2008). Patients with gallbladder cancer confined to the mucosa or submucosa (T1a) are usually diagnosed by the postoperative pathological examination, and a simple cholecystectomy is adequate for them. A radical resection of the localized gallbladder cancer, including cholecystectomy, partial hepatectomy, and skeletonization of hepatoduodenal ligament (HDL), could gain a better result in patients with gallbladder cancer invading into (T1b) or beyond (stages II–IVa) the gallbladder muscularis. Laparoscopic surgery is adopted for treating gallbladder cancer, but port-site recurrence and intra-abdominal dissemination are concerns of surgeons (Kais et al. 2014; Lee et al. 2011). The rupture of gallbladder should be avoided to prevent intra-abdominal dissemination, and the specimen should be properly retrieved from the abdominal cavity. In our institute, the plastic Endobag is routinely used to capsule the specimen in the extraction of the specimen out of the abdominal cavity to prevent port-site recurrence.