title: Biliary pancreatitis: the era of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the efficacy and safety of a combined approach to the treatment of biliary pancreatitis using laparoscopic cholecystectomy and selective endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
  
  
  METHODS
  Consecutive case series.
  
  
  METHODS
  Tertiary care center.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients undergoing primary operations for biliary pancreatitis 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.
  
  
  METHODS
  Open cholecystectomy with or without common bile duct exploration (CBDE); laparoscopic cholecystectomy with selective ERCP and/or laparoscopic CBDE.
  
  
  METHODS
  Two periods were compared for morbidity, mortality, the duration of preoperative and postoperative stays, and the total length of hospitalization.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Both groups were demographically similar and had the same mortality (1.9%). Laparoscopic cholecystectomies provided a preoperative stay comparable to open cholecystectomy (6.4 vs 5.8 days), a shorter postoperative stay (1.5 vs 8.5 days), a lower incidence of CBDE (6.6% vs 26%), and a lower morbidity (8% vs 13.7%). The addition of an ERCP to laparoscopic cholecystectomy 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 cases, no stones were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of biliary pancreatitis with combined laparoscopic cholecystectomy and selective ERCP is safe and effective and is associated with a shorter hospitalization and fewer CBDEs than open cholecystectomy. Unnecessary ERCPs can be reduced by improved selection criteria or greater dependence on operative CBDE.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, USA.
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Schwesinger
authors.forename: C P
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Page
authors.forename: G W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: W E
authors.initials: WE
authors.lastname: Strodel
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Sirinek
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*