Vol. 1 No. 2 (2026): SHOULD OPEN CHOLECYSTECTOMY REMAIN IN SURGICAL TRAINING? A NARRATIVE REVIEW IN THE ERA OF ADVANCED LAPAROSCOPY AND ROBOTICS
Vol. 1, Issue No. 2 | July 2026
Minimally invasive surgery has transformed the management of gallbladder disease, with laparoscopic cholecystectomy established as the standard of care and robotic-assisted techniques gaining widespread adoption. Despite these advances, open cholecystectomy continues to play a vital role in managing complex biliary conditions, difficult anatomy, and intraoperative complications. As exposure to open surgery declines during residency training, an important question arises: should this essential skill remain part of modern surgical education?
This review article in the Journal of the European Society of Surgery (JESS) explores the continuing relevance of open cholecystectomy within contemporary surgical training. Drawing upon current international guidelines, systematic reviews, educational studies, and clinical evidence, the authors examine its role in difficult gallbladder surgery, bailout strategies, conversion from laparoscopy, robotic surgery, and competency-based surgical education. The review also discusses the challenges created by reduced trainee exposure and proposes a structured framework for preserving open surgical skills in future training programs.
The findings conclude that while open cholecystectomy is no longer a routine procedure, it remains an indispensable safety competency for managing complex biliary disease, preventing major complications, and ensuring preparedness in both high-resource and resource-limited healthcare settings. This comprehensive review offers valuable guidance for general surgeons, hepatobiliary surgeons, surgical educators, residents, and healthcare professionals involved in modern gastrointestinal surgery and surgical curriculum development.
