Assalia 1993.

Methods	Single‐centre randomised trial. Generation of allocation: unclear. Allocation concealment: unclear. Blinding: not performed. Follow‐up: unclear. Drop‐outs: none mentioned. Intention‐to‐treat: not mentioned. Sample size calculations: no.
Participants	Elective cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis. In‐ and exclusion criteria: not mentioned. Comparability groups: well matched.
Interventions	SIC versus OC. Minicholecystectomy: initial 5 cm (no preoperative ultrasound location), extended in stages each 1 cm long. Retrograde (fundus down) technique was performed. Open cholecystectomy: technique was left to the individual surgeon. Length of incision: offer comfortable exposure, however, not too generous. Antibiotic prophylaxis: yes. Intra‐operative cholangiography: selectively carried out according to clinical and laboratory indications.
Outcomes	Primary and secondary outcome: not mentioned. Outcomes: difficulty of the procedure, operative time, degree of pain, total amount of analgesia, hospital stay, patient satisfaction, physical activity limitations. Duration of follow‐up: 2 weeks.
Notes
Risk of bias
Bias	Authors' judgement	Support for judgement
Allocation concealment?	Unclear risk	B ‐ Unclear
Blinding? All outcomes	High risk
Free of selective reporting?	High risk
Free of other bias?	High risk	short follow‐up of 2 weeks