LAPAROSCOPIC REMOVAL OF THE ACUTELY INFLAMED GALL-BLADDER

Seventy-six patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis between Tune 1991 and April 1995 at our clinic and were retrospectively reviewed. Seventy per cent of the operations could be completed laparoscopically with uneventful recovery. In 15 cases the p rocedure was converted into an open one. Three patients had to be reop erated, one of them died in myocardial infarction three weeks after th e reoperation. The mean operative time was 95 minutes (range 45-180). The average postoperative hospitalisation was 3.1 days. The laparoscop ic method is suitable for removal of the acutely inflamed gall bladder . The procedure is more difficult and, time-consuming than in elective cases, and conversion are more frequent.