[Celioscopic cholecystectomy in simple and complicated cholelithiasis. Apropos of 392 cases]

In a study including 392 patients we compared two groups of patients according to the indication for laparoscopic cholecystectomy: group I: 293 patients treated for simple cholelithiasis (n = 291) or gallbladder polyps (n = 2). Group II: 99 patients operated for complicated cholelithiasis. For each patient, 14 pre, intra and postoperative parameters were analysed and compared. Mean operative time was 80 minutes. Primary and secondary laparotomies were necessary in 5.8% and 1.3% of cases respectively. Biliary injury was the most frequent complication (1.3%). Mean hospital stay was 4.5 days. In terms of mean age, operative time, intraoperative incidents and complications, and primary laparotomy. There was a significant difference between the two groups (p less than 0.001). There were 4 secondary laparotomies in group II and one in group I. These results suggests that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe technique with a low mortality rate (0.25%). The comparative study proves that this technique, first indicated for simple cholelithiasis, is also applicable to the majority of complicated cholelithiasis.