TREATMENT

 Provide IV hydration; withhold oral feedings.

 Laparoscopic (percutaneous) cholecystectomy (PC) is considered the treatment of
choice for most patients. The rate of conversion to open cholecystectomy is higher
when laparoscopic cholecystectomy (CCY) is performed for acute cholecystitis rather
than for uncomplicated cholelithiasis
 Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterectomy and stone
extraction can be performed in conjunction with laparoscopic cholecystectomy for
patients with choledochal lithiasis; approximately 7% to 15% of patients with
cholelithiasis also have stones in the common bile duct.
 Elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed as outpatient procedure.
 Hospital stay post op varies from overnight with laparoscopic cholecystectomy to 4 to 7
days with open cholecystectomy.
 Complication rate is approximately 1% (hemorrhage and bile leak) for laparoscopic
cholecystectomy and <0.5% (infection) with open cholecystectomy.
 Surgical referral in all patients with acute cholecystitis