DELAYED GALLSTONE ABSCESS FOLLOWING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Delayed infectious complications following elective laparoscopic chole cystectomy have not been well delineated in the medical literature. Ir retrievable spillage of gallbladder contents at the time of laparoscop ic cholecystectomy is not rare, and has generally been felt to be of l ittle consequence, particularly in the nonacute setting. The case pres ented documents an instance of delayed gallstone abscess formation aft er elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. While rare, such cases highl ight the need for refined techniques to prevent gallbladder perforatio n during this procedure and to allow laparoscopic recovery of small ga llstones spilled at the time of cholecystectomy.