Outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A prospective study with 100 consecutive patients.

One hundred patients with cholelithiasis were included in a prospective consecutive follow-up study to evaluate laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a day surgical setting. The median operating time was 70 min. In 96% of the patients, it was possible to perform peroperative cholangiography. The median time off work was 7 days and the median time to full recovery was 14 days. Five patients were admitted due to weakness/nausea. Six patients were admitted due to conversion to open surgery or choledocholithiasis. Eighty-nine patients were treated in ambulatory surgery. We conclude that laparoscopic outpatient cholecystectomy can be performed safely with a low unplanned admission rate.