Early cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

A series of 65 cases of acute cholecystitis from among 500 patients on whom cholecystectomy was performed by the author is presented. Early cholecystectomy was the operation of choice in 63 and cholecystostomy in two. The operative mortality for cholecystectomy was 1.6%; the postoperative morbidity was low and there were no serious complications such as common bile duct injury or biliary fistula. Operation for acute cholecystectomy is recommended within 48 hours of diagnosis to avoid serious complications such as perforation and suppurative cholangitis.