Current practice in biliary surgery.

A questionnaire enquiring about current practices in biliary surgery was sent to over 25 per cent of consultant general surgeons in the UK; 90 per cent replied. Only 56 per cent use antibiotic prophylaxis for elective cholecystectomy, and 84 per cent for emergency cholecystectomy. Duration of use, choice of agent and absence of prophylaxis for high-risk cases were inappropriate in up to 20 per cent of cases. Of the respondents 84 per cent routinely perform operative cholangiography and use T tubes, and 75 per cent routinely place a peritoneal drain after cholecystectomy. Despite controversies in the literature, most UK surgeons still follow traditional practices in biliary surgery.