title: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: initial New Zealand experience.
abstract: In a prospective study, 75 (97.4%) of 77 consecutive patients presenting to one surgeon for acute or elective cholecystectomy were suitable for the laparoscopic technique. The study group was 70.6% female with an average age of 46.2 years. One patient (1.3%) required conversion to an open operation for a gangrenous gallbladder. The remainder were completed in a mean of 99.7 minutes, with patients staying a mean 1.5 nights postoperatively and achieving a pain score of zero at a mean 4.4 days. There was no morbidity or mortality and most returned to work at one week. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has apparent advantages over the traditional open technique and is a safe and effective treatment for almost all patients with gallbladder disease when performed by an experienced and trained surgeon.
authors.affiliation: Mercy Hospital, Auckland.
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Dunn
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002763:Cholecystectomy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009520:New Zealand; D011446:Prospective Studies