Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: early Mayo Clinic experience.

Prospective data and follow-up information were collected on the initial 200 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the Mayo Clinic. The operation was completed laparoscopically in all but five patients, who required conversion to laparotomy because of dense scarring or stones in the common bile duct. The median surgical time was 85 minutes. The major postoperative complications were retained stones in the common bile duct (in seven patients), intraperitoneal hemorrhage that necessitated transfusion (in two patients), and intra-abdominal abscess and pulmonary infection (in one patient each). The median hospital stay was 1 day (range, 0 to 8 days), and the median times to full activity and normal employment were 8 days and 12 days, respectively. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is associated with a low frequency of complications in most patients with symptomatic gallstones and allows a rapid return to normal activity. Currently, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for most patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis.