Objective:

To determine the prevalence of bile duct injury (BDI) by laparoscopic cholecystectomy and by open cholecystectomy at Hospital General 450 in Durango, Mexico, and to compare it with the national prevalence.

Material and methods:

A descriptive and retrospective analysis was made of patients diagnosed with bile duct injury who underwent laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy between June 2014 and December 2016 at the Hospital General 450. We evaluated the prevalence of BDI (classifying it according to Strasberg), age and sex.

Results:

During a period of two years and six months, 855 cholecystectomies were performed (341 laparoscopic cholecystectomies and 514 open cholecystectomies) on patients from 21 to 75 years of age. Eleven patients had major BDIs, ten were repaired using a Roux in Y hepaticojejunostomy and one with bile duct reconstruction over T-tube. The mortality rate was 27%.

Conclusions:

The overall prevalence of bile duct injury was 0.87% in patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and 0.58% in those who underwent open cholecystectomy. Our results contrast with those obtained in the center and south region of Mexico by Gutierrez et al., in South America by Hoyos et al. and in the United States by Chuang et al. We concluded that the prevalence of BDI at our hospital is high probably due to conditions such as body mass index and the waiting period from the first biliary colic until surgical resolution (cholecystectomy), which have been identified as the main causes for surgical complications.