Trends in laparoscopic cholecystectomy in Indiana.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a fairly new procedure that is quickly gaining widespread use among surgeons. In Indiana, 45% of cholecystectomies performed on Medicare beneficiaries over the age of 65 were via the laparoscopic approach, resulting in a shorter average length of stay, 5.9 days, compared to 12.3 days for those who underwent the open procedure. Among these Medicare beneficiaries, the complication rate for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was lower than for those who had the open procedure, 11.3% compared with 16.6%. The trend of the use of the laparoscopic approach for cholecystectomy for older patients and the complications arising from this procedure need further evaluation.