Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: an Indian experience of 1233 cases

Abstract

Background: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a well-established procedure for symptomatic cholelithiasis in India, but there are few data available regarding the procedure and its related complications.

Patients and methods: This paper represents a retrospective review of 1233 patients who underwent LC at Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India, over 4 years (1997-2000). The case files of all these patients were analyzed for patient particulars, intraoperative findings, reason for any open conversion, postoperative stay, and mortality.

Results: The overall conversion rate was 7.06% (87 patients). The commonest cause of conversion was a frozen Calot's triangle (52 patients), followed by injury to the common bile duct (8 patients). The average postoperative stay in successful LC was 1.32 days. The overall mortality rate was 0.16% (2 deaths). The quality of life after LC was good to excellent in more than 90% of patients.

Conclusions: Despite multiple hands in training, the complication rates of LC are within acceptable limits. The overall conversion rate has risen because of the increase in elective conversions, but the incidence of complications has come down because of a "no hesitation" policy in converting. In spite of multiple operators, LC is the procedure of choice for symptomatic cholelithiasis at our hospital.