Gall bladder flip technique in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: The precise steps for the removal of gall bladder from the gall bladder bed are not well standardised. The dissection becomes more difficult near the fundus where the assistant's grasper holding the fundus creates a 'tug of war' like situation.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a description of a simple technique that aids in accurate dissection of the gallbladder from liver bed. As the gallbladder dissection approaches fundus and more than two-third of gallbladder is dissected from liver bed, the medial and lateral peritoneal folds of gall bladder are further incised. The assistant is asked to leave the traction from the gallbladder fundus, while the surgeon holds the dissected surface of gall bladder around 2-3 cm away from its attachment with liver and flip it above the liver. Further dissection is carried out using a hook or a dissector till it is disconnected completely from the liver bed.

RESULTS: We have employed 'Flip technique' in around 645 consecutive cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy operated in the past 3 years. Only one case of liver bed bleeding and two cases of injury to gall bladder wall were noted during this part of dissection in this study. Ease of dissection by surgeons was rated as 9.6 on a scale of 1-10.

CONCLUSION: Gallbladder 'Flip technique' is a simple and easily reproducible technique employed for dissection of gall bladder from liver bed that reduces complications and makes dissection easier.