Changing trends in the management of gallstone disease.

Background: Day case cholecystectomy is increasingly becoming a management option for elective cases while "same admission" cholecystectomy is now considered a favorable option in the treatment of acute cholecystitis. To assess the advent of these changes in our surgical practice, a retrospective analysis of our experience is presented.

Methods: All patients undergoing cholecystectomy between January 2000 and January 2001 were analyzed according to admission status, operation type, conversion rate, complications, and nonsurgical intervention.

Results: 156 patients underwent cholecystectomy and 152 charts were retrieved. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed on 95% of patients with a conversion rate of 9%. Morbidity for the series was 12.5%, including one common bile duct injury (0.6%). Day case and acute cholecystectomy comprised 67% of our cholecystectomy practice.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that there is an increasing trend toward shortening the hospital stay of patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This does not appear to have had a deleterious effect on outcome.