title: Comparison of clinical safety and outcomes of early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis: a meta-analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare the clinical safety and outcomes of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pertinent studies were selected from the Medline, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases, references from published articles, and reviews. Seven randomized controlled trials (early laparoscopic cholecystectomy versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy) were selected. Conventional meta-analysis according to Cochrane Collaboration was used for the pooling of the results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Seven trials with 1106 patients were included. There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of bile duct injury (Peto odds ratio 0.49 (95% confidence interval 0.05 to 4.72); P = 0.54) or conversion to open cholecystectomy (risk ratio 0.91 (95% confidence interval 0.69 to 1.20); P = 0.50). The total hospital stay was shorter by 4 days for early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (mean difference -4.12 (95% confidence interval -5.22 to -3.03) days; P < 0.00001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy during acute cholecystitis is safe and shortens the total hospital stay.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Min-Wei
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Xiao-Dong
authors.initials: XD
authors.lastname: Gu
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Jian-Bin
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Huashan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200040, China.
authors.forename: Zong-You
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged