Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: a report from a single center.
OBJECTIVE
To review and evaluate our experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy.


METHODS
A retrospective analysis was performed on data collected during a 13-year period (1992-2005) from 1220 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy.


RESULTS
Mortality rate was 0%. The overall morbidity rate was 5.08% (n = 62), with the most serious complications arising from injuries to the biliary tree and the cystic artery. In 23 (1.88%) cases, cholecystectomy could not be completed laparoscopically and the operation was converted to an open procedure. Though the patients were scheduled as day-surgery cases, the average duration of hospital stay was 2.29 d, as the complicated cases with prolonged hospital stay were included in the calculation.


CONCLUSIONS
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe, minimally invasive technique with favorable results for the patient.
Vagenas
Konstantinos
K
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Patras, Rion University Hospital, Greece. kvagenas@hotmail.com
Karamanakos
Stavros N
SN
Spyropoulos
Charalambos
C
Panagiotopoulos
Spyros
S
Karanikolas
Menelaos
M
Stavropoulos
Michalis
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000379:methods / Q000401:mortality* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005260:Female; D006115:Greece; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007431:Intraoperative Complications / Q000209:etiology; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome