BACKGROUND: To analyze the influence of gender in the incidence of postoperative complications of open and laparoscopic cholecystectomies. METHODS: Retrospective study of 1123 patients who underwent open or laparoscopic elective cholecystectomy in the Department of Surgery of Santa Casa de Misericórdia de São Paulo, between January 1997 and January 2001. Postoperative complications have been evaluated comparatively and results have been related to age, ASA, type and duration of surgical procedure,intra-operative accidents, need of drainage, length of postoperative hospitalization, histopatological findings and mortality. RESULTS: There was a predominance of female sex in the studied group, representing 82.5% of cases. The mean age was 48,8 years, ranging from 14 to 97 years old. Six hundred and ninety-three (61,7%) patients underwent laparoscopic procedures. There was a higher proportion of open procedures in men. (p=0,0014). The overall conversion rate was 2.31%, with no difference between sexes, as well as the associated surgical procedures and the occurrence of intra-operative accidents. Duration of procedure, length of postoperative hospitalization, need of drainage, complications and mortality were significantly higher in males. The analysis of the duration of procedure and length of postoperative hospitalization, showed that the statistical difference occurred at the costs of open cholecystectomy group. CONCLUSIONS: Male gender was a risk factor for postoperative complications after cholecystectomies, resulting in a longer duration of procedure and length of postoperative hospitalization, more frequent need of drainage and higher mortality when compared to female gender.
Cholecystectomy; Postoperative complications; Sex
