[Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of acute cholecystitis].
BACKGROUND
The aim of the study was to demonstrate the importance of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.


METHODS
From 1998 to 2000, 66 patients were submitted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All patients were submitted to US scans preoperatively and operated on by surgeon skilled in emergency laparoscopic operative technique.


RESULTS
Only one patient (1.5%) had conversion to open cholecystectomy. There was no mortality and no bile duct or major vascular injuries. The overall operative morbidity rate was 3%. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.1 days.


CONCLUSIONS
Author's experience and results support the validity of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the treatment of acute cholecystitis, since it reduces the postoperative length of hospital stay and hospital costs. Early treatment is always helpful for inflamed and oedematous tissue which favours dissection.
Catani
M
M
Dipartimento di Chirurgia Generale Paride Stefanini, Policlinico Umberto I, Università degli Studi di Roma La Sapienza, Roma, Italy.
De Milito
R
R
Spaziani
E
E
Di Filippo
A
A
Manili
G
G
Capitano
S
S
Simi
M
M
D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000601:surgery*; D004630:Emergencies; D005260:Female; D017721:Hospital Costs; D006801:Humans; D007902:Length of Stay; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D016896:Treatment Outcome