title: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a tertiary referral center.
abstract: Analysis of the first year's experience of 94 patients in a tertiary referral center showed that 21% had had previous surgery. Fifty-seven percent had medical problems: 17.8% hypertension, 16% cardiac problems, 8.9% diabetes mellitus, and 6.2% chronic renal insufficiency. Four patients had hypercarbia and were acidotic. The conversion rate to open cholecystectomy was 8.7%. Only one patient required reoperation for a bile leak. Fifty-five percent of our procedures took < or = 2 h, but 45% took > or = 3 h. Just over 50% of our patients stayed 48 h postoperatively. In this complex group of patients, it appears possible to achieve results similar to those previously published, but more time was required for surgery, and length of stay was increased.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, New York Medical College, Valhalla 10595.
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Hodgson
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mercan
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morgan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002760:Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies