title: A survey of surgical management of acute cholecystitis in eastern Saudi Arabia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  It is now 60 years since early cholecystectomy was advocated for acute cholecystitis (AC). Yet, surgical opinion remains divided regarding its optimal timing. Furthermore, recent surveys have shown low utilization of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for AC.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This survey aimed to assess the current management of AC in Eastern Saudi Arabia.
  
  
  METHODS
  A postal survey was conducted by means of a questionnaire sent to 95 surgeons practicing LC. The questionnaire addressed the surgical management of AC in relation to the subspecialty of interest, duration of consultant status, number of cholecystectomies performed per year, and the percentage performed laparoscopically.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were 87 responders (92%); two were excluded from the analysis for different reasons. Early LC was preferred by 71% of the responders. With regard to the timing of LC, there was no significant difference in relation to the surgeon's subspecialty of interest or duration of consultant status. However, increased number of cholecystectomies and percentage of cholecystectomies performed with a laparoscopic approach were significantly associated with early LC.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early LC for AC is practiced by th e majority of surgeons in Eastern Saudi Arabia. This practice is significantly associated with increased number of cholecystectomies performed as well as with the percentage performed with a laparoscopic approach. According to the current literature, early LC for AC results in a shorter total hospital stay and reduced cost of treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, King Fahd Hospital of the University, Al-Khobar 31952, Saudi Arabia. dr.almulhim@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Abdulmohsen A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al-Mulhim
mesh_terms: D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology