Gallbladder disease is one of the most prevalent digestive disorders affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people around the world. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the procedure of choice in managing symptomatic cholelithiasis. This study was conducted to report on the postoperative complications after laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy in a Palestinian government hospital. The study also investigated associations between sociodem-ographic and surgical variables of the study patients and postoperative complications, dura-tion of hospital stay, and duration of the surgical procedure. A retrospective observational design was used in the present study in which patient files (n = 101) were included in the fi-nal analysis. The study site was one of the main hospitals in Hebron District, Palestine. Of the patients included, the majority (75.2%) were female in gender, more than half (53.5%) were between 40 and 60 years of age, the majority (88.1%) had laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the duration of the surgical procedure ranged from 40 minutes to 3 hours, and the duration of hospital stay ranged from 1 to 14 days. Postoperative complications were reported in 14 pa-tients (13.9% of the cases). Postoperative complications were significantly associated with open cholecystectomy (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 8.73, p value = 0.011, Spearman’s rho = 0.30, p value = 0.003). Patients who have had postoperative complications stayed significantly longer duration in the hospital (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 61.86, p value < 0.001; Spearman’s rho = 0.79, p value < 0.001). Older patients have had significantly more open cholecystectomy compared to younger patients (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 12.50, p value = 0.003; Spearman’s rho = 0.34, p value = 0.001) and the length of the surgical procedure was significantly higher (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 7.30, p value = 0.043; Spearman’s rho = 0.21, p value = 0.036). Lapa-roscopic cholecystectomies are the standard of practice in managing gallstone disease in Pal-estine. Laparoscopic cholecystectomies were associated with reduced postoperative compli-cations, surgical operation time, and hospital stay similar to those reported previously. More studies are still needed to analyze and compare pain and speed of recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectomies in Palestine.

Gallbladder disease is one of the most prevalent digestive disorders affecting the health and quality of life of millions of people around the world. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the procedure of choice in managing symptomatic cholelithiasis. This study was conducted to report on the postoperative complications after laparoscopic and open cholecystectomy in a Palestinian government hospital. The study also investigated associations between sociodem-ographic and surgical variables of the study patients and postoperative complications, dura-tion of hospital stay, and duration of the surgical procedure. A retrospective observational design was used in the present study in which patient files (n = 101) were included in the fi-nal analysis. The study site was one of the main hospitals in Hebron District, Palestine. Of the patients included, the majority (75.2%) were female in gender, more than half (53.5%) were between 40 and 60 years of age, the majority (88.1%) had laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the duration of the surgical procedure ranged from 40 minutes to 3 hours, and the duration of hospital stay ranged from 1 to 14 days. Postoperative complications were reported in 14 pa-tients (13.9% of the cases). Postoperative complications were significantly associated with open cholecystectomy (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 8.73, p value = 0.011, Spearman’s rho = 0.30, p value = 0.003). Patients who have had postoperative complications stayed significantly longer duration in the hospital (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 61.86, p value < 0.001; Spearman’s rho = 0.79, p value < 0.001). Older patients have had significantly more open cholecystectomy compared to younger patients (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 12.50, p value = 0.003; Spearman’s rho = 0.34, p value = 0.001) and the length of the surgical procedure was significantly higher (χ2/Fisher's exact test = 7.30, p value = 0.043; Spearman’s rho = 0.21, p value = 0.036). Lapa-roscopic cholecystectomies are the standard of practice in managing gallstone disease in Pal-estine. Laparoscopic cholecystectomies were associated with reduced postoperative compli-cations, surgical operation time, and hospital stay similar to those reported previously. More studies are still needed to analyze and compare pain and speed of recovery after laparoscopic cholecystectomies in Palestine.