[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis: predictors of conversion to open cholecystectomy and preliminar results].

Inspite of increased technical difficulties and high incidence of conversion to open procedures and complications, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a well established treatment for acute cholecystitis. In this study we reported our results in patients with acute cholecystitis undergoing laparoscopic cholecystecomy from 1998 to 2003. We found out that laparoscopic cholecystectomy was safe and was carried out with acceptable conversion rate and low morbidity. Predictors of complications were delay of surgery more than 48 hours following the onset of symptoms, leucocytosis > 15.000 U/microl and gallbladder wall ultrasonography thickness > 7mm.