Background and aim: Videolaparocholecystectomy is now regarded as the gold standard of treatment for lithiasis of the gallbladder.
Methods: The authors report a retrospective of 258 consecutive videolaparocholecystectomies performed by the Surgical Division of Valduce Hospital in Como between 1994 and 1996. The authors describe the indications for VLC, techniques for the induction of pneumoperitoneum and the realisation of VLC and the percentage and caused of conversion.
Results: During this period a steady reduction was noted in the number of laparotomic cholecystectomies and a parallel increase in cholecystectomies performed using a laparoscopic technique (69.2 vs. 30.8% in 1994; 76.4 vs. 23.2% in 1995; 91.1 vs. 8.9% in 1996). A gradual extension of the indications for laparoscopic surgery can be seen leading to the application of this technique in patients suffering from acute cholecystic infection, hydros or empyema of the gallbladder. Conversion were required in 25 cases in this series (9.7%). During the last year analysed there were a total of 9 conversions (7.9%) even though the percentage of acute cholecystitis accounted for 38.9% of all cases of cholecystectomy.
Conclusions: In line with the experience of other centres, the authors, currently propose VLC as the treatment of choice for lithiasic pathologies of the cholecyst.