Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy.

Subtotal cholecystectomy is a definitive and safe operation to treat diseases of the gallbladder, whenever there are major difficulties in dissection from the liver. Described herein is successful experience with 6 patients using this technique, through the laparoscopic approach. In cases with severe inflammatory changes, gallbladder embedded in liver tissue, and liver cirrhosis, they enabled reduction of operative time and avoidance of excessive bleeding that could have caused the conversion of the laparoscopic approach to open laparotomy.