Is emergent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis safe in a low volume resource poor setting?

•We reviewed records of 74 consecutive emergent cholecystectomies for acute cholecystitis.•There were 3 (4.1%) conversions and 6 (8.1%) complications with no CBD injuries or deaths.•Emergent LC for acute cholecystitis is effective and safe in a low-volume setting in the Caribbean.•These technically demanding operations should be performed by trained laparoscopic surgeons.

BackgroundThe outcomes of emergent laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis have not been documented in the low-volume, resource-poor Caribbean setting.Settings and designThis study was carried out in a low-resource setting across three islands in the Anglophone Caribbean.Methods and materialsThe 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.ResultsThere 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.ConclusionsEmergent 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.