Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis

ABSTRACT

A total of 230 patients with symptomatic gall-stones were treated over a 2-year period. Thirty seven [16.1%] of these patients presented with manifestations of acute cholecystitis. They were 25 females and 12 males with a mean age of 49.2 +/- 16.9 years [range 19-72 years]. Two of these patients underwent preoperative successful endoscopic removal of common bile duct stones. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was attempted in all patients and was successful in 35 of 37 patients [94.6%]. Two laparoscopic procedures [5.4%] were converted to open cholecystectomy because of extensive difficult adhesions [one patient] and a frankly gangrenous gallbladder [one patient] precluding safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The mean operating time was 55 +/- 16.2 minutes [range 30-120 minutes] for the laparoscopic group in comparison to 125 and 140 minutes for the two patients required conversion to open cholecystectomy. The mean duration of hospital stay was 4.1 +/- 1.3 days [range 3 - 7 days] for the laparoscopic group and 7 days for the two patients required conversion to open cholecystectomy. There was no mortality and no bile duct or major vascular injuries in either groups with two cases [5.4%] of wound infection in the laparoscopic group