To investigate the characteristics and treatments for complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in primary hospitals.

Clinical data of 11 patients with complications following LC from January 2015 to December 2019 in Chongming Branch of Tenth People's Hospital of Tongji University were retrospectively analyzed. Among them, 4 patients were male and 7 female, aged (68±6) years on average. The primary diseases were acute cholecystitis (n=6), atrophic cholecystitis (n=2) and chronic cholecystitis (n=3). The informed consents of all patients were obtained and the local ethical committee approval was received. The incidence of complications following LC was observed. The managements and prophylactics were summarized.

443 patients underwent LC at the same period, the incidence of LC complications was 2.5%(11/443). 3 cases developed intraoperative bleeding, including 1 case was converted to open surgery for compression hemostasis, 2 cases received laparoscopic electric coagulation for hemostasis again. 2 cases suffered from common bile duct injury and underwent open surgery for repair and T-tube drainage. 4 cases suffered from bile leakage and were given with treatments of anti-infection and somatostatin. 1 case suffered from injury of hepatic flexure of the colon and 1 case of duodenal injury, and both were converted to open surgery for repair and drainage. The etiology of complications was confirmed in 7 cases, including 3 cases due to severe gallbladder inflammation, 2 cases due to atrophic cholecystitis and 2 cases due to iatrogenic causes. While the causes of complications in 4 cases were unknown. All patients were cured and discharged with a healing rate of 100%.

The incidence of LC complications in primary hospitals is still high, which mostly occurs in elderly patients. The incidence of complications is closely related to cholecystitis. Selecting suitable cases, adequate preoperative preparation, careful anatomical dissection during LC, and timely conversion to open surgery when necessary contribute to the prevention of surgical complications.