Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Acute Cholecystitis: An Updated Review

Abstract

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard for the management of gallstone disease, but it has recently been incorporated into the treatment of acute cholecystitis. It is divided into early and delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is done within 72 hours of the onset of symptoms, and delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy is done after eight weeks. As there is no consensus on the timing of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in adults and elderly patients, we have conducted this review article to examine the timing of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the risk factors for conversion to open cholecystectomy, and the role of laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy in the management of acute cholecystitis.