Feasibility of day-case laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a narrative review

Abstract

Gallstone disease was considered a rare disease in West African subregion, however with increasing urbanisation and lifestyle change, the incidence of the disease is rising. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the best treatment for gall stone disease. Initially, laparoscopic cholecystectomy required inpatient care after surgery, but for the past 30 years, there is a shift toward performing the procedure as a daycase. Daycase laparoscopic cholecystectomy was first reported in early 1990s, but in most countries of West Africa, cholecystectomy is still an inpatient procedure and this has been an additional strain to the health‑care community as the number of personnel needed for postoperative care can be directed toward the care of other patients if the surgery is performed as a day-case. It has also been reported that increased use of day surgery would reduce waiting times and reduce last minute cancellations by the hospital. Although laparoscopic cholecystectomy was added to the basket of day‑case procedures in the early 1990s, initial progress was slow because the procedure was not widely accepted as suitable for day case surgery. In sub‑Saharan Africa, only Sudan, Nigeria, Tanzania, and South Africa have reported attempts at day‑case laparoscopic cholecystectomy with good outcome.