Discussion Conservative treatment of acute calculous cholecystitis during index admission seems feasible and safe , especially in patients with mild disease .
Background In medical practice , the tendency to remove an inflamed gallbladder is deeply rooted .
Cholecystectomy , however , is associated with relatively high complication rates , and therefore the decision whether or not to perform surgery should be well considered .
For some patients , the surgical risk – benefit profile may favour conservative treatment .
The objective of this study was to examine the short- and long-term outcome of conservative treatment of patients with acute calculous cholecystitis .
Prospective randomized study of early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.
OBJECTIVE A prospect i ve r and omized study was undertaken to compare early with delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis . SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis is associated with high complication and conversion rates . It is not known whether there is a role for initial conservative treatment followed by interval elective operation . METHOD During a 26-month period , 99 patients with a clinical diagnosis of acute cholecystitis were r and omly assigned to  early laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 72 hours of admission  ( early group , n = 49 ) or delayed interval surgery after initial medical treatment ( delayed group , n = 50 ) . Thirteen patients ( four in the early group and nine in the delayed group ) were excluded because of refusal of operation ( n = 6 ) , misdiagnosis ( n = 5 ) , contraindication for surgery ( n = 1 ) , or loss to follow-up ( n = 1 ) . RESULTS Eight of 41 patients in the delayed group underwent urgent operation at a median of 63 hours ( range , 32 to 140 hours ) after admission because of spreading peritonitis ( n = 3 ) and persistent fever ( n = 5 ) . Although the delayed group required less frequent modifications in operative technique and a shorter operative time , there was a tendency toward a higher conversion rate ( 23 % vs. 11 % ; p = 0.174 ) and complication rate ( 29 % vs. 13 % ; p = 0.07 ) . For 38 patients with symptoms exceeding 72 hours before admission , the conversion rate remained high after delayed surgery ( 30 % vs. 17 % ; p = 0.454 ) . In addition , delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy prolonged the total hospital stay ( 11 days vs. 6 days ; p < 0.001 ) and recuperation period ( 19 days vs. 12 days ; p < 0.001 ) . CONCLUSIONS Initial conservative treatment followed by delayed interval surgery can not reduce the morbidity and conversion rate of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis . Early operation within 72 hours of admission has both medical and socioeconomic benefits and is the preferred approach for patients managed by surgeons with adequate experience in laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Discussion Conservative treatment of acute calculous cholecystitis during index admission seems feasible and safe , especially in patients with mild disease .
Background In medical practice , the tendency to remove an inflamed gallbladder is deeply rooted .
Cholecystectomy , however , is associated with relatively high complication rates , and therefore the decision whether or not to perform surgery should be well considered .
For some patients , the surgical risk – benefit profile may favour conservative treatment .
The objective of this study was to examine the short- and long-term outcome of conservative treatment of patients with acute calculous cholecystitis .