Cholecystectomy

We retrospectively reviewed 360 consecutive cholecystectomies done by the four surgeons in our private group practice. No patient had dehiscence of the wound or evisceration. One patient had a seroma, which was opened in the office, but the fluid contained no white blood cells or bacteria on smear, and the culture was negative. No deaths occurred during the hospitalization or within 30 days after the operation. Routine perioperative antibiotics were used, and most wounds were drained with closed suction drainage. Routine intraoperative cholangiography was also done. On the basis of the favorable morbidity and mortality in this large group of patients and a review of the literature, we recommend the routine use of antibiotics and cholecystectomy for most patients with gallstones.