LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY - THE 1ST YEAR EXPERIENCE

A total of 307 consecutive patients with symptomatic gallstones were a dmitted for cholecystectomy. Two hundred seventy patients (88%) were c onsidered suitable for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Forty-two of thes e (17%) were admitted on an emergency basis. The procedure was accompl ished successfully in 246 patients (91%), while in the remaining 24 pa tients (9%), the attempt had to be abandoned and converted to open cho lecystectomy. Postoperative complications, mostly minor, occurred in 2 2 patients (9%). Suspected common bile duct stones were treated with e ndoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) prior to surgery. The mean operative time was 82 minutes and 70% of the patients were d ischarged home within 48 hours after surgery and more than 90% were se nt home by the third postoperative day. The results suggest that lapar oscopic cholecystectomy is feasible for the majority of patients with symptomatic gallstones.