2 UNUSUAL HEMORRHAGIC COMPLICATIONS DURING LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Two cases are presented that illustrate unusual hemorrhagic complicati ons during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Both areas of bleeding were a t a significant distance from the operative site. One was a subcapsula r hematoma over the dome of the right lobe of the liver, the other a l iver capsule tear on the inferior fight lobe. No bleeding was evident at the time of surgery. These complications appear to be an inherent p art the laparoscopic method, as they would undoubtedly be recognized a nd treated during an open cholecystectomy. Etiology, prevention, recog nition, and treatment are discussed.