Veideolaparoscopic cholecystectomy: experience with 328 cases in Medellín, Colombia

Abstract

We report on our experience with 328 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed between September 18, 1991 and May 18, 1993 by a specialized surgical team in Medellín, Colombia. The patients were 252 women (76.8%) and 76 men (23.2%), with ages between 14 and 85 years. The surgical procedure was elective in 274 of them (83.5%) while 54 (16.5%) were emergencies due to acute cholecystitis. In 5 cases (1.5%) it became necessary to convert the procedure to open surgery: 2 of them had strong adherences, obscure anatomy and cholecystoduodenal fistula; in two there was acute inflammation and marked edema and the last one suffered an iatrogenic lesion of the biliary ducts. There were only six cases of major complications (1.8%): infected subhepatic collection that required surgical drainage and lesion of the right hepatic duct, (one case each); residuallithiasis and postoperative pancreatitis (2 cases each). Average surgical time was 46.6 minutes in the elective cases and 63.3 in the ur. gent ones. Hospital stay lasted less than one day in 280 patients (85.3%). We conclude that in our center, as in other places, videolaparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for gallbladder lithiasis.