[Celioscopic treatment of cholelithiasis in benign acute biliary pancreatitis].

OBJECTIVES AND METHODS

To evaluate the laparoscopic treatment of cholelithiasis in mild acute gallstone pancreatitis, 35 patients with gallstone pancreatitis and less than 4 Ranson's prognostic signs at 48 h were retrospectively included.

RESULTS

Eight patients underwent preoperative endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Surgery was performed a median of 15 (range: 4-60) days after the onset of pancreatitis, and included laparoscopic cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography that was successful in 30 out of 32 cases (93%). A common bile duct stone was present in 4 patients (11%). Conversion to open surgery was necessary in 3 patients (8%). Choledocholithiasis was successfully removed by laparoscopy in two cases, and by laparotomy and postoperative endoscopic sphincterotomy in one case each.

CONCLUSION

Laparoscopic treatment can be recommended as the primary treatment within a few days after the onset of mild gallstone pancreatitis.