Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is now the treatment of choice for gallstones, but there has been concern that bile leakage with LC is more frequent than after open cholecystectomy (OC). We have analyzed our experience of this complication with regard to both its incidence and management. From a consecutive series of 500 LC, in which both operative cholangiography and drainage of the gallbladder bed were routine, bile leakage was identified in ten patients (2%). There was no bile duct injury. Nine of the ten patients presented with bile in the drain within 24 h of operation and one patient presented 1 week after operation with a subphrenic collection. Of the ten patients, five settled spontaneously. Of the five remaining patients, two needed laparotomy--one for a subphrenic collection not responding to percutaneous drainage and one for biliary peritonitis. One patient was treated by relaparoscopy and suture of a duct of Luschka and one patient had successful percutaneous drainage of an infected collection; the fifth patient who presented with a late subphrenic collection of bile was shown at endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to have a cystic duct stump leak and was treated with an endoscopic stent. Bile leakage is seen more frequently after LC than OC for reasons that are currently unclear. We believe that the use of routine gallbladder bed drainage is justified for this reason alone. The majority of bile leaks settle either spontaneously or with minimally invasive intervention.

Postoperative manometry was carried out in 12 patients with gastro-oesophageal reflux associated with hypomotility of the oesophageal body. A Nissen fundoplication was carried out in all patients. After a median follow-up of 3.5 years, patients underwent clinical, endoscopic, radiological, manometric and pH-metric evaluation. Manometric results revealed an overall improvement in oesophageal motor function with an increase in the amplitude of deglutition waves and a decrease in the percentage of deglutitions without response. Six of the patients (one with complete motor failure) recovered normal peristaltic function. Non-specific oesophageal motor disorders may be secondary to gastro-oesophageal reflux and are reversible in nature.

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Percutaneous cholecystostomy may be the first treatment option for patients with acute acalculous cholecystitis except in cases with a perforation or gallbladder gangrene. Patients at low surgical risk may benefit from cholecystectomy but both treatment options may be effective. Percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with acute acalculous cholecystitis may be a definitive therapy with no need for a subsequent elective cholecystectomy. However, the overall quality of studies is low and the final recommendations should be considered with caution.