Colecistectomia laparoscopica. Analisi dei primi 62 casi consecutivi.

Sixty-two patients with gallstones or other benign disease of the gallbladder were candidated to laparoscopic cholecystectomy from November 1990 to March 1991. This technique was successfully performed in 96.7% of cases (60 patients). The mean operative time was 60.3 minutes (27-120) and was shown to significantly correlate to the dimensions of stones (max 36 mm). Intraoperative complications were perforation of the gallbladder in 4 cases (6.6%) with loss of stones in 2 cases (3.3%). The mean postoperative stay was 36.2 hrs (12-96) with full mobilization after 12.5 has in average, mean passage of gas after 20.3 hrs and bowel movement after 31.2 hrs. Intensity of postoperative pain, evaluated according to the VAS, average 4.3 after 6 hrs and 1.4 after 24. Return to full activity averaged 13 days (2-65). These data confirm that laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be considered the treatment of choice for gallstone disease and it should enter into the cultural and technical background of a general surgeon.