BILIARY PANCREATITIS - THE ERA OF LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combined approach to the treatment of biliary pancreatitis using laparoscopic cholecyste ctomy and selective endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ER CP). Design: Consecutive case series. Setting: Tertiary care center. P atients: All patients undergoing primary operations for biliary pancre atitis during 2 time periods were included. In the open era (June 1982 through May 1988), there were 276 patients; in the laparoscopic era ( January 1996 through June 1997), there were 114 patients. Intervention s: Open cholecystectomy with or without common bile duct exploration ( CBDE); laparoscopic cholecystectomy with selective ERCP and/or laparos copic CEDE. Main Outcome Measures: Two periods were compared for morbi dity, mortality, the duration of preoperative and postoperative stays, and the total length of hospitalization. Results: Both groups were de mographically similar and had the same mortality (1.9%). Laparoscopic cholecystectomies provided a preoperative stay comparable to open chol ecystectomy (6.4 vs 5.8 days), a shorter postoperative stay (1.5 vs 8. 5 days), a lower incidence of CEDE (6.6% vs 26%), and a lower morbidit y (8% vs 13.7%). The addition of an ERCP to laparoscopic cholecystecto my was associated with prolongation of the preoperative stay (7.4 vs 5 .0 days), a comparable postoperative stay, a lower conversion rate (7. 5% vs 13%), and fewer CBDEs (3% vs 13%). In 27 (42%) of the 64 ERCP ca ses, no stones were found. Conclusions: Treatment of biliary pancreati tis with combined laparoscopic cholecystectomy and selective ERCP is s afe and effective and is associated with a shorter hospitalization and fewer CBDEs than open cholecystectomy. Unnecessary ERCPs can be reduc ed by improved selection criteria or greater dependence on operative C EDE.