COMPLICATIONS AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY - IMAGING FINDINGS

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is rapidly becoming an acceptable alterna tive to traditional open cholecystectomy. Laparoscopic procedures are associated with shortened recovery periods and hospital stays and the cosmetic benefit of smaller scars. Early results from laparoscopic cho lecystectomies suggested a high rate of complications; however, recent studies have shown that, in experienced hands, the complication rates of open and laparoscopic procedures are comparable [1, 2]. Complicati ons differ somewhat between the two types of operations. In laparoscop ic cholecystectomy, complications are associated with virtually every aspect of the procedure. The purpose of this essay is to illustrate th e imaging findings of the complications that occur in patients undergo ing laparoscopic cholecystectomy.