Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a tertiary referral center.

Analysis of the first year's experience of 94 patients in a tertiary referral center showed that 21% had had previous surgery. Fifty-seven percent had medical problems: 17.8% hypertension, 16% cardiac problems, 8.9% diabetes mellitus, and 6.2% chronic renal insufficiency. Four patients had hypercarbia and were acidotic. The conversion rate to open cholecystectomy was 8.7%. Only one patient required reoperation for a bile leak. Fifty-five percent of our procedures took < or = 2 h, but 45% took > or = 3 h. Just over 50% of our patients stayed 48 h postoperatively. In this complex group of patients, it appears possible to achieve results similar to those previously published, but more time was required for surgery, and length of stay was increased.