Early versus delayed cholecystectomy: the effect of a change in management.

After a controlled trial, conservative treatment followed by delayed operation was replaced by early operation as the treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis. Results before and after this change were compared. The comparison confirmed that early cholecystectomy leads to more rapid recovery and to less time spent in hospital. There was no significant difference between the two procedures in the duration of operation and the incidence of wound infection. Early operation caused fewer biliary fistulas and was accompanied by a lower mortality.