Safety of early same-admission laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute mild biliary pancreatitis. A retrospective study for acute pancreatitis

INTRODUCTION: As the standard procedure for the surgical treatment for gallbladder stones, we investigated the controversy surrounding the optimal time for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute mild biliary pancreatitis (AMBP). AIM: To further address the optimal timing of LC, we conducted a retrospective study comparing early (< 72 h, group I) with delayed (> 72 h, group II) LC for AMBP during the same admission. MATERIAL AND METHODS: This retrospective study included medical records of all patients who were admitted with a diagnosis of acute mild biliary pancreatitis at Dongyang People’s Hospital from July 2011 to June 2019. RESULTS: A total of 119 patients were divided into an early LC group (group I; 52 patients) and a control group (group II; 67 patients). Conversion to open cholecystectomy (COC) was performed in 17 patients (6 patients in group I and 11 patients in group II, p = 0.62). There were no significant differences in terms of estimated blood loss and duration of surgery (p = 0.08 and p = 0.64, respectively). The overall hospital stay in group I was significantly shorter than in group II (10.86 ±3.21 vs. 13.29 ±4.51 days, p = 0.001). Compared with postoperative bile leakage (p = 0.72) and postoperative morbidity (p = 0.97) and mortality, there were no significant differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: Early LC during the same admission is safe for acute mild biliary pancreatitis and has the advantage of shortening overall hospital stay. There was no significant increase in COC, bile duct injury, and complications.