From January 1990 to December 1992, 129 patients presenting complicated cholelithiasis were included in a prospective study to assess the feasibility and efficiency of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. There were 84 females (65%) and 45 males (35%). Mean age was 60 years (range from 23 to 88). There were 90 acute cholecystitis (70%), 14 empyema (11%), 14 cholecystitis on scleroatrophic gallbladder (11%), and 11 mucocele (9%) cases. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been successfully performed in 106 cases (82%) (group I). In this group of patients, morbidity and mortality were 4.7% and 0.9% (n = 1), respectively. Mean hospital stay was 4.7 days after uneventful postoperative course. Two patients required reoperation for complications (1.8%). Twenty-three patients (18%) required enforced conversion to laparotomy after unsuccessful laparoscopic procedure (group II). Mean hospital stay was significantly higher in group II (10.8 days, P = 0.0001). There was no difference between the two groups according to sex, previous surgery, or indications. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy may be attempted and successfully realized in complicated cholelithiasis without morbidity increase. Main advantages of this procedure are a shorter hospital stay and a better recovery period.