[Results of early operation of acute cholecystitis]

Acute cholecystitis is a frequent complication of cholelithiasis. Patients in advanced age are more often affected than others. Early operation has been widely accepted for treatment of acute cholecystitis, as it has proved to be effective as prophylaxis against perforation, sepsis, recurrent inflammation, and long-term sequels, such as enterocolic fistulae and abscesses. It should be acceptable to everyone, provided short-time individual preparation. Patients in advanced age are likely to draw particular benefit from no-delay surgery, since soon removal of the source of inflammation as well as short-time immobilisation and hospitalisation are good prerequisites for soon, definite healing. Operations for acute cholecystitis were performed von 257 patients, between 1977 and 1987. They accounted for 8.4 per cent of 3,059 gall surgery patients during the period under review. The lethality rate associated with early operations amounted to 1.6 per cent and was thus slightly below overall gall surgery lethality of 1.9 per cent during that period.