title: Preoperative Ultrasonography as a Predictor of Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy that Requires Conversion to Open Procedure.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The present study was conducted to see whether preoperative ultrasonography can be used as a predictor of difficult lapariscopic cholecystectomy or not.
  
  
  METHODS
  50 patients of cholelithiasis, selected from surgical OPD of Rajindra Hospital Patiala, who fulfilled all inclusion and exclusion criteria for the study underwent elective cholecystectomy. Ultrasonography was done pre-operatively on all cases in the same setup and with same probe and patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy in same setup.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A significant prediction was found between ultrasonographic parameters and conversion of the procedure to open cholecystectomy which proved that pre-operative ultrasonography is a good predictor of difficulty in laparoscopic cholecystectomy in majority of the cases and should be used as a screening procedure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative ultrasonography should be used as a screening procedure as it is a good predictor of difficulty in laparoscopic cholecystectomy in majority of the cases. It can help surgeon to get an idea of potential difficulty that he can face in the particular patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Prem
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chand
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Rommel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Bimaljot
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Rachan Lal
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Singla
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, Government Medical College and Rajindra Hospital, Patiala, Punjab, India.
authors.forename: Manish
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Yadav
keywords: Calot's triangle; difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy; predictive factors; spillage of bile and stones; ultrasonography predictor