Pitfalls in laparoscopic cholecystectomy

On the basis of literature and of 475 laparoscopic cholecystectomies of the authors, some pitfalls are reviewed. The circumstances, the mechanism and the prevention of injuries were detailed together with the connected problem of postoperative bile leakage. Among the cholangiographic pitfalls the importance of detection of congenital and acquired anomalies of the biliary tree by means of preoperative ERCP or intraoperative trans-cystic cholangiograms was emphasized. A particular study was made of 3 pictures: Mirizzi syndrome; stone impaction in Vater's papilla; no retrograde flow of the common hepatic duct on intraoperative cholangiograms. Biliodigestive fistulas were briefly commented. The problems with cystic duct stones, particularly the treatment of stones in a long, low inserted cystic duct with retroduodenal course and the closing of thick-walled or wide cystic stumps, were explained. In patients with intraoperative residual common bile duct stones and with failed preoperative catheterization of the papilla, the authors advocate their double approach technique. This combined intraoperative laparoscopic and postoperative endoscopic procedure is carried out via the same transcystic polythene catheters as used for cholangiography and external biliary drainage of the common bile duct.