LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY - THE EVOLUTION OF GENERAL-SURGERY

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has generated an enormous amount of excitement in the treatment of cholelithiasis. This technique represents a milestone in the evolution of general surgery and the culmination of nearly a century of effort to develop less invasive and more specific forms of surgical therapy. Availability and application of laparoscopic cholecystectomy have spread rapidly. Currently, any patient considered for elective cholecystectomy under general anesthesia is a candidate for the laparoscopic approach. Results of recent, large, nonproprietary studies confirm improved recovery in patients having laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Most patients are discharged from the hospital on the day after surgery and can resume full activity within 14 days. The overall complication rate is low with a mortality of less than 0.05% and a morbidity of 4% to 6%. Injuries to the common bile duct occur in less than 1%. These results support the use of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for the treatment of cholelithiasis and point toward improved surgical care in the future.