OBJECTIVETo investigate the clinical value of three-dimensional (3D) laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of complicated gallstone disease.

METHODSFrom March 2014 to March 2015, 46 patients underwent cholecystectomy for complicated gallstone disease under 3D laparoscopy (3D group) and 43 received 2D laparoscopic cholecystectomy (2D group). The surgical data including the operative time, intraoperative blood loss, the rate of conversion to open laparotomy, recovery time of postoperative bowel motion and hospital stay were compared between the 2 groups.

RESULTSLaparoscopic cholecystectomy was successfully completed in 43 patients in 3D group and in 39 patients in 2D group, and the rates of conversion to open laparotomy were similar between the two groups (P>0.05). The median operation time was significantly shorter in 3D group than in 2D group (50.5∓15.2 vs 65.4∓18.1 min, P<0.05), and the median volume of intraoperative blood loss was significantly smaller in 3D group (34.1∓13.6 vs 44.5∓22.3 mL, P>0.05). No significant differences were found in the recovery time of postoperative bowel motion and postoperative hospital stays between the two groups (P>0.05).

CONCLUSION3D laparoscopy, which provides three-dimensional vision with a good sense of depth to allow precise surgical manipulation, can shorten the operation time and reduce the rate of conversion to open laparotomy for patients undergoing 3D laparoscopic cholecystectomy for complicated gallstone disease.