Is laparoscopic cholecystectomy a safe procedure for patients receiving anticoagulant therapy?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the safety of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in patients on oral anticoagulant therapy.


METHODS
Four patients were involved in this study on whom the procedure was performed in a conventional manner paying meticulous attention to haemostasis. The oral anticoagulant was resumed the night of the operation, and the patient was discharged and acceptable international normalised ratio was achieved postoperatively.


RESULTS
There was no thrombo-embolic or haemorrhagic complication. The mean hospital stay was 5 days.


CONCLUSIONS
LC can be safely performed in patients on oral anticoagulant therapy.
Department of Surgery, Al-Amiri Hospital, PO Box 4077, 13041 Al Safat, Kuwait. waelfh@yahoo.com
Wael Fathi
WF
Hasaniah
Metwalli Afifi
MA
al-Sayed
Hilal
H
al-Sayer
Talib Hashim
TH
Juma
Sabah
S
al-Hadeedi
D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000925:Anticoagulants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006488:Hemostasis, Surgical; D006801:Humans; D019934:International Normalized Ratio; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000925:Anticoagulants