Intraoperative events unexpected and conversion in patients laparoscopic cholecystectomy: male and independent risk factor

BACKGROUND: Studies have been done trying to confirm the impression that laparascopic cholecystecotmy tends to be more complicacted and takes longer in men than in women. The analysis of sex as an independent risk factor has been done in various studies with mixed results. AIMS: To assess if male gender is an independent risk factor for unexpected intraoperative events, conversion and longer operating time in a restrospective cohort based on a population of 1029 patients from one surgeon in a national hospital in Lima, from 1996 to 2010. METHODS: The relationship between three variables (unexpected intraoperative events, operative time and conversion) and male gender was analyzed in 1023 patients (151 male, 872 female). Multivariate analysis was performed for two of these variables (unexpected intraoperative events and operating time). RESULTS: Male gender had an adjusted RR of 1.22 [1.05 - 1.42] (p= 0.007) for unexpected intraoperative events. Male gender had an adjusted RR of 1.11 [1.00 - 1.25] (p= 0.048) for increased operating time compared to women. CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that male gender is an independent risk factor for unexpected intraoperative events and longer operating time.