[Complications of cholecystectomy by laparoscopic approach. Apropos of 6512 cases]

6,512 laparoscopic cholecystectomies have been performed by 141 surgeons. The lithiasis was uncomplicated in 80% of cases. Conversion from laparoscopy to laparotomy was necessary in 350 cases (5.37%), for technical problems (22 cases), complications (87 cases) or surgical difficulties (241 cases): 107 cholecystitis, 68 adhesions, 14 difficulties in finding the cystic duct and 25 common bile duct stones were the principle surgical difficulties. Among the 304 complications, we have observed 35 general and 251 local complications: 58 haemorrhages, 12 common bile duct lesions (10 cases of iatrogenic trauma and 2 accidental ligations), 4 cystic duct problems and 3 cases of intestinal trauma were the principle per-laparoscopic complications. Among the 164 post-laparoscopies cholecystectomy's complications, we have observed 50 biliary fistulae with 32 requiring further surgery (damage to the common bile duct in 14 cases), 3 common bile duct strictures, 20 haemorrhages (7 requiring further surgery), 31 deep or sub-phrenic abscesses (16 requiring further surgery) and 2 peritonitis after intestinal trauma. We have had 7 deaths (0.10%). Prognostic factors are: 1) The degree of surgeon's experience; the first 50 laparoscopies cholecystectomies performed are more likely to require further surgery (P < 0.05). 2) Cholecystitis with an significantly higher rate of conversion to laparotomy (P < 0.001) and morbidity (P < 0.01). For an experienced surgeon the biliary morbidity is near to that observed in classical cholecystectomy.