Clinicopathologic differences before and after elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy according to obesity.

BACKGROUND: Although obesity is a well-established contributor to surgical risks, evidence regarding the specific outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in obese patients remains scarce. AIM: To assess clinicopathologic differences and 1-year outcomes following elective LC in patients with obesity and gallstone disease. METHODS: This retrospective study analyzed data from 65 patients who underwent elective LC for gallstone disease between January 2020 and May 2022, with outcomes assessed at the 1-year follow-up. Patients were categorized as obese (body mass index ≥ 25 kg/m2) or non-obese (body mass index < 25 kg/m2), and comparisons were made across preoperative laboratory values, intraoperative parameters, and patient-reported outcomes. RESULTS: The obese group had significantly higher American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, higher glycated hemoglobin levels, and lower vitamin D levels than the non-obese group. Elevated triglycerides were more frequent in the obese group, whereas higher high-density lipoprotein levels were more common in the non-obese group. Intraoperative and postoperative outcomes did not differ between the groups. At the 1-year follow-up, 24.6% of patients reported post-cholecystectomy symptoms, with no group differences. CONCLUSION: Obese patients had higher American Society of Anesthesiologists scores, lower vitamin D, and elevated triglycerides preoperatively, but these differences did not significantly affect intraoperative findings or 1-year postoperative outcomes compared to non-obese patients.