[Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. An alternative procedure in the treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis].

The authors report about their first experiences concerning the treatment of gallbladder stones using a laparoscopic approach. 40 patients (33 female, 7 male) were treated with this new method. The age of the patients, who had undergone this procedure, varied from 24 to 76 years, the average age was 42 years. Our current indication is the symptomatical chronic gallbladder lithiasis. The average time of operation was 60 to 90 minutes. The mortality rate was zero. Slight operative bleeding from an accessory artery and vein occurred in two cases. This was controlled by electrocoagulation. We observed no complications in the postoperative phase. The patients were dismissed from the hospital on the 3. to 5. day. This method is very favourable with regard to the operative strain on the patients.