INDICATIONS FOR SURGICAL-TREATMENT IN GAL LSTONE DISEASE

4675 patients which underwent a cholecystectomy because of gallstone d isease were included in a prospective multi-institutional study from 0 1/09/1994 to 31/08/1995 at 29 east-german hospitals. 3,307 (68.6 %) pa tients had done a laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LCE). 1,468 (31.4 %) p atients received a primary open cholecystectomy (KCE). A conversion ra te of 7.7 % (n=247) was seen. In 32.8 % of LCE and in 39.5 % of KCE di agnostic procedures of the common bile duct were not performed at all. The rate of open revision of the common bile duct was 4.5 % (n=211). The highest postoperative morbidity and operative mortality were found in KCE with revision of the common bile duct.