Routine use of ICG to enhance operative safety in emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a randomized controlled trial

Objective To test the hypothesis that ICG fluorescence cholangiography (ICG-FC) helps to identify critical structures during laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) and hence reduce biliary injuries and conversions. Summary background data In LC, biliary injury and conversion often happen if the biliary anatomy is misidentified. Methods This was a single-center randomized controlled trial from 2017 to 2019. Patients with acute cholecystitis requiring LC were assessed for eligibility for the trial. Patients in the trial were randomized to undergo either conventional LC (conventional arm) or LC with ICG-FC (ICG arm). Conversion rate and biliary injury incidence were outcome measures. Results Totally 92 patients participated (46 patients in each arm). The median age was 61 years in both arms ( p = 0.472). The conventional arm had 22 men and 24 women; the ICG arm had 24 men and 22 women ( p = 0.677). The two arms were comparable in all perioperative parameters. The time from ICG injection to surgery was 67 (16–1150) min. Both arms had an 8.7% conversion rate ( p = 1.000). The median operative time was 140.5 min in the conventional arm and 149.5 min in the ICG arm ( p = 0.086). The complication rate was 15.2% in the former and 10.9% in the latter ( p = 0.536), and both had a 2.2% bile leakage rate. The median hospital stay was 3.5d in the former and 4.0d in the latter ( p = 0.380). Conclusion ICG-FC did not make any difference in conversion or complication rate. Its routine use in LC is questionable. However, it may be helpful in difficult cholecystectomies and may be used as an adjunct. Trial registration The trial was registered with the Institutional Review Board of University of Hong Kong/Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster ( http://www.med.hku.hk/en/research/ethics-and-integrity/human-ethics ). Registration number: UW17-492.