Predictive factors for conversion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment for gallbladder diseases. However, for various reasons there is a finite chance of conversion to open cholecystectomy in some patients. To assess preoperative factors which might predict the chances of conversion and the intraoperative reason which resulted in the conversion. The SAGAR APOLLO HOSPITAL patient database was searched for patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between July 2003 and November 2006. Sagar Apollo hospital is an urban tertiary care hospital. The records of 526 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy were reviewed retrospectively. 14 (2.6%) of the 526 patients were converted to open cholecystectomy. Preoperative Alkaline phosphatase values were raised in patients who underwent conversion and were found to be statistically significant. The most common intraoperative reason for conversion was difficulty in delineating the anatomy at the Calot's triangle. It is difficult to preoperatively predict the factors responsible for conversion.