Operating During the COVID-19 Pandemic: An Emerging Indication for Minilaparotomy Cholecystectomy.

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 has required changes in the practice of surgery to reduce the risk of transmission of the virus. Proposed mitigation strategies include avoidance of aerosol-generating procedures such as laparoscopy. We report two cases where minilaparotomy cholecystectomy was employed to treat benign biliary disease during the pandemic. A review of the literature supports the use of this surgical technique during the COVID-19 pandemic until laparoscopy can be proven to be safe.