Report of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in two patients with left-sided gallbladders.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been widely performed since its introduction in 1987 by Mouret. However, conversion to open cholecystectomy is common when the surgeon encounters variant anatomy. We report 2 cases of cholecystitis and cholelithiasis in patients with left-sided gallbladders that were treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy by the same surgeon at this institution. The patient in the first case had the condition of situs inversus totalis, and the gallbladder of the second patient was located to the left of the round ligament. In both instances, successful laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed, and the patients recovered uneventfully.