Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis

ABSTRACT

A total of 142 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed from January 1995 to November 1996. Of these 124 were elective procedures whereas 18 were performed for acute cholecystitis. The female to male ratio was 61 in the chronic and 81 in acute group. The mean age was 43.3 years in the chronic and 32.2 years in acute group. The average operative time was 87 minutes in the acute and 104 minutes in elective group. Significantly more adhesions and bleeding were encountered in the acute group. Four patients in the elective and one in acute group had postoperative biliary leak which settled on its own. One patient in the elective group required conversion while another was re-explored later on, for CED injury. There was no incidence of CBD injury in the acute group. The overall conversion rate was 4.9% [7/142], 4% [5/124] in the elective and 11% [2/18] in the acute group. Wound infection was seen in 10.5% of patients in the elective and 22.2% in acute group. The average hospital stay was four days in the acute and 2.5 days in elective group. The difference in the results of the two groups were statistically insignificant. No mortality was encountered in either group