LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY IN ACUTE CHOLECYSTITIS

Between January 1991 and December 1992, 220 patients underwent laparos copic cholecystectomy and were monitored prospectively. Twenty-seven p atients (12.3%) had acute cholecystitis, according to strict clinical and pathologic criteria. Their average age was 60.4 years. The average operative time was 121 min. Two of the 27 patients (7.4%) required co nversion to open laparotomy. The postoperative morbidity rate was 11%. The average hospital stay was 1.9 days. This series provides further evidence that laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be used safely and effe ctively to treat acute cholecystitis when performed by experienced sur geons.