OBJECTIVETo evaluate the quality of life in patients who underwent laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy for chronic cholecystolithiasis.

METHODSA prospective survey was made on 25 patients receiving laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC group) and 26 patients receiving open cholecystectomy (OC group). The quality of life was measured with the gastrointestinal quality of life index (GLQI) preoperatively, and at 2, 5, 10 and 16 weeks after the operation.

RESULTSThe mean preoperative GLQI scores of all dimensions of the quality of life were 112.5 and 110.3 in the LC and OC groups respectively. In the LC group, the quality of life was not considerably reduced at 2 weeks after operation, with a mean GLQI score of 110. There was a significant improvement both in total mean score and in the aspects of symptomatology, emotional and physiological status from 5 to 16 weeks after LC operation. In the OC group, the GLQI score reduced to 102.0 at 2 weeks after surgery (P < 0.05). There were significant reductions in the aspects of symptomatology, physiological and social status as well. The GLQI scores reached to the preoperative level of 115.6 at 10 weeks after the operation (P > 0.05). The patients experienced significant improvements of GLQI at 16 weeks after OC operation (P < 0.01 or P < 0.05). The LC group showed better GLQI scores than did the OC group for up to 10 weeks postoperatively (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONSLC is betler or more rapidly than OC is improving the quality of life postoperatively. The assessment of the quality of life is valuable for measuring the outcome of surgical treatment.