DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2018.v06i01.028

Pages: 131-135

The role of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis with cholelithiasis is controversial. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of early LC for acute cholecystitis and to compare the results with delayed LC. Between August 2015 to August 2017, 60 patients with diagnosis of acute cholecystitis were assigned to early group, (LC within 72 hrs of admission), and delayed group, (initial conservative treatment followed by delayed LC, 6–8 weeks later). We found in our study that the conversion rate in early LC and delayed LC was 4.33% and 0%, respectively, Operation time for early LC was 69.4 min versus 66.4 min for delayed LC, post-operative complications for early LC and delayed LC were comparable, and blood loss was equivalent in both groups. However early LC had significantly shorter hospital stay (4.1 days versus 8.6 days). Early LC for acute cholecystitis with cholelithiasis is safe and feasible, offering the additional benefit of shorter hospital stay. It should be offered to the patients with acute cholecystitis, provided that the surgery is performed within 72 hrs of acute symptoms by an experienced surgeon.