ABSTRACT
This prospective study was performed on 30 consecutive patients [21-75 years old] with acute biliary pancreatitis to evaluate routine cholecystectomy after clinical and biochemical improvement during the first admission to hospital. Three patients refused surgery during the first admission. One patient was not offered surgery because of severe cardiopulmonary disease. One was operated on urgently because of clinical deterioration. Of the remaining 25 patients, 6 had common bile duct exploration in addition to cholecystectomy. There were no deaths. Two patients had complications unrelated to the timing of surgery. Total mean hospitalization was 10 days. There was no recurrence during a 2-year follow-up. Routine early surgery during the first admission for patients with resolving biliary pancreatitis was safe, definitive, and cost-effective