Assessment of Early Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Management of Acute Calcular Cholecystitis

Abstract Background Acute cholecystitis is one of the most significant diseases in the Western world and has a high socioeconomic impact. Mainly, patients with gallstones and older adults are affected. The main complication of acute cholecystitis is recurrent biliary colic and cholestasis. The latter may lead to ascending cholangitis, and while this can be managed with antibiotics, other complications cannot be cured conservatively such as gangrenous changes, gall bladder perforation and biliary leakage, and acute necrotic gallstone pancreatitis. Liver abscesses and underlying incidental carcinoma have also been reported in some cases. Aim of the Work The purpose of this study is to focus on success rate of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a management of acute calcular cholecystitis along with its operative and post- operative outcomes. Patients and Methods This is a prospective cohort study conducted on forty (40) patients presenting to Ain-Shams University hospitals and authorized hospitals presented with acute calcular cholecystitis starting from January 2021 and December 2021. Results Our study demonstrates that in terms of morbidity and mortality, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe, feasible and cost-effective for cases of acute cholecystitis. The outcome of the patients in our study provides further evidence that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed within the first 72 hours of symptoms with no significant increase in length of operation. Moreover, there was no significant increase in the rate of major intra operative or post operative complications such as bleeding, bile duct injury, bowel injury, wound infection and conversion to open cholecystectomy. The major advantage of early cholecystectomy was that early laparoscopic cholecystectomy allows significantly shorter total hospital stay and reduction in days away from work. Moreover, it avoids repeated admissions for recurrent symptoms. Conclusion Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is safe, feasible and cost-effective for cases of acute cholecystitis and its major advantage is that it allows significantly shorter total hospital stay and reduction in days away from work and avoids repeated admissions for recurrent symptoms.