[Surgical pathology costs more in emergencies: a bias in the clinical scoring index]

A retrospective study of all records of patients operated on for biliary lithiasis during the years 1995, 1996 and 1997 was performed in a general hospital setting to compare the costs of management according to presentation. This study shows that acute and chronic cholecystitis have statistically significantly different costs. The reimbursement plans, base on diagnostic related groups do not take this into account. This system disadvantages those centers which preferentially treat acute pathologies.