[Cholecystectomy through a surgical tube].

Operations were conducted on 800 patients (83.2% females and 16.8% males) for acute and chronic cholecystitis by means of an apparatus designed by the authors with the use of an operative tube with a light guide and a special set of instruments. The average duration of the operation was 54 min. Fifteen patients underwent choledochotomy with drainage of the common bile duct. The operative interventions had to be repeated on 4 patients due to hemorrhage. Intraoperative damage to the bile ducts occurred in 4 (0.5%) patients. Complications were encountered in 3.2% of cases. The suggested method makes it possible in most cases to perform not only cholecystectomy but choledochotomy as well with inspection of the common bile duct, and operative cholangiography.