Cholecystectomy: A review of surgical approaches, complications, and outcomes

Cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder, is a widely performed procedure for treating symptomatic gallstone disease, acute cholecystitis, and other biliary disorders. This review highlights the advantages, disadvantages, and clinical outcomes of several cholecystectomy approaches, including open and laparoscopic procedures. Because of its less invasive nature, decreased postoperative pain, and quicker recovery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has emerged as the gold standard method. Open cholecystectomy, although less common, remains essential in complex cases with severe inflammation or anatomical challenges. 
Even with improvements, cholecystectomy still has risks of complications such as bleeding, infection, bile duct injury, and post-cholecystectomy syndrome. It is particularly important to have the appropriate surgical technique, intraoperative imaging, and surgeon experience in order to reduce complications. Hospital stays and post-operative complications have decreased as a result of improved postoperative recovery brought about by Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) procedures. The future of cholecystectomy is also being shaped by new technologies like robotic-assisted surgery and artificial intelligence, while more study is required to determine the long-term advantages and cost-effectiveness of these procedures.
This review underscores the need for continued advancements in surgical techniques, better training programmes, and multidisciplinary approaches to optimize patient outcomes and minimise complications. To further enhance the safety and effectiveness of cholecystectomy, future studies should investigate AI-driven decision-making tools, enhanced imaging methods, and robotic-assisted surgery improvement.