Background: The outcomes of emergent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis have not been documented in the low-volume, resource-poor Caribbean setting.
Settings and design: This study was carried out in a low-resource setting across three islands in the Anglophone Caribbean.
Methods and materials: The records of all consecutive patients who had emergency LC for acute cholecystitis over 82 months were examined. The data were extracted and analysed using SPSS version 14.
Results: There were 74 patients with acute cholecystitis at a mean age of 45 (SD 11.8) years. The mean duration of operation was 99 (SD 45) min. There were 3 (4.1%) conversions and 6 (8.1%) complications. No bile duct injuries or deaths were recorded. There was more morbidity in patients with complicated disease, longer mean operation times and longer mean intervals between admission and operation.
Conclusions: Emergent LC for acute cholecystitis is effective and safe in a low-volume setting in the Caribbean. However, the operations are technically demanding and should be performed by trained laparoscopic surgeons.
Keywords: Caribbean; Cholecystectomy; Gallbladder; Laparoscopic; Low-volume.
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