Transition from Open to Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy at a Public and Private Hospitals in Nairobi

Background: It is almost two decades since laparoscopic surgery was first introduced in Kenya. This study was aimed at evaluating the transition to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with analysis of patient demographics and other relevant data.
Methods: This was a retrospective cross-sectional study of records of 448 patients who underwent cholecystectomy in Nairobi from 2001 to 2010. Data entry was done using epidataV 1.4.2 and analyzed using STATA version 11.0 and comparative analysis performed.
Results: 80% of all cholecystectomies performed in Nairobi were laparoscopic, 80% of the patients were females and 40% of all patients were under 40 years of age. Ultrasound (USs) is well established for diagnosis and with detailed reporting but laboratory investigations at the public hospital (PH), were rare, especially Liver Function Tests (LFT), done in only 55% of the patients. The conversion rate of 4% was similar to that in other studies.
Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now established in Nairobi with good USs reporting. However the lack of adequate laboratory investigations noted in the records needs improvement.