Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Sixty-eight cases of acute cholecystitis managed by laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) are reviewed. Thirty-two patients were admitted up to 10 days after onset of symptoms and 31 were completed by LC. One patient was referred from intensive care with gangrenous acalculus cholecystitis and was completed by LC but required subsequent laparotomy to control a bleeding omental vessel. Five patients were admitted with recurrent attacks of pain and histology confirmed resolving acute cholecystitis. Thirty patients had LC on routine operating lists, having recently had pain within 10 days of admission. Histology confirmed acute cholecystitis or resolving acute cholecystitis in these patients. All were completed by LC. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a very effective treatment for acute cholecystitis if complete dissection of anatomy can be performed.