LAPAROSCOPIC TREATMENT OF GALLSTONES AND BILE-DUCT STONES IN MILD ACUTE BILIARY PANCREATITIS

Objectives and methods. - To evaluate the laparoscopic treatment of ch olelithiasis in mild acute gallstone pancreatitis, 35 patients with ga llstone pancreatitis and less than 4 Ranson's prognostic signs at 48 h were retrospectively included. Results. - Eight patients underwent pr eoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Surgery was performed a median of IS (range: 4-60) days after the onset of pancre atitis, and included laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography that was successful in 30 out of 32 cases (93 %). A co mmon bile duct stone was present in 4 patients (11 %). Conversion to o pen surgery war; necessary in 3 patients (8 %). Choledocholithiasis wa s successfully removed by laparoscopy in two cases, and by laparotomy and postoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy in one case each. Conclusi on. - Laparoscopic treatment can be recommended as the primary treatme nt within a few days after the onset of mild gallstone pancreatitis.