THE CURRENT STATUS OF LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLEC YSTECTOMY IN AUSTRIA

The complete 1992 register of minimal invasive operations at ail surgi cal departments in Austria has been compiled for the third year runnin g, representing questionnaires returned from 107 departments reporting a total of 11,591 laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LC). Evaluation of the data from the 81 departments with a least 2 years' experience show ed an increase of 56.60% in the number of LCs and an overall increase in cholecystectomies of 18.50% in comparison with 1991. Sonography and /or intravenous cholangiography remain the standard procedures for the pre-operative diagnosis of bile-duct concrements, undertaken in 98.05 % and 71.70%, respectively, of all cases in 1992. Intra-operative chol angiography has been implemented with increasing frequency (17.56% of all cases in 1992), especially in those departments with longer experi ence on LC. The conversion rate to open cholecystectomy was 6.09%, and the incidence of secondary cholecystectomy was 1.26%. The mortality r ate was 0.11%. Our register now contains the data on 19,872 LCs. Our e valuation of the multicentric data aims at a complete documentation of the frequency of this surgical procedure and the incidence of complic ations in Austria with a view to establishing guidelines for the indic ations for LC and planning of this operation, as well as following up current trends in the regional implementation of LC in Austria.