In a cohort of 728 patients with acute cholecystitis, 69 (9%) underwent bail-out procedures (bop), comprising 34 laparoscopic and 35 open approaches. Key predictors for requiring a bop included elevated admission total bilirubin levels. Notably, laparoscopic bop demonstrated similar complication rates to open procedures while offering reduced hospital stays, thereby contesting the traditional view that open conversion is preferable for complex cases. These findings provide insights for patient consent and surgical strategy.
Journal Article by Ugarte C, Ugarte R (…) Schellenberg M et 7 al. in Am Surg