LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY - THE SINGAPORE EXPERIENCE

A questionnaire survey was conducted in April 1992, 2 years after the first laparoscopic cholecystitis (LC) was performed in Singapore. The aim was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of this new procedure. Twe nty surgeons performed 1,066 LC, of which 93% were done electively, ma inly for biliary colic and chronic cholecystitis. Acutely inflamed gal lbladders accounted for 6.5% of cases. Fifty-seven (5.4%) patients had to be converted to open surgery, 108 (10.1%) patients required preope rative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for suspected ch oledocholithiasis, and 57 (5.4%) intraoperative cholangiograms were do ne. Common bile duct injuries occurred in 10 (0.9%) patients, of which six (0.6%) were transections. Seven (0.6%) patients developed bile le akage. Minor complications occurred in another 10 (0.9%) patients. The re was one (0.09%) death.