Laparoscopic Bailout Procedures Show Varied Outcomes in Severe Cholecystitis

In managing severe cholecystitis, laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy and cholecystostomy tube placement yield lower bile duct injury rates compared to converting to open surgery. Analysis of nearly 385,000 laparoscopic cholecystectomies from 2012 to 2021 revealed a drop in conversion rates and an increase in subtotal cholecystectomy procedures. Despite better bile duct outcomes, subtotal cholecystectomy had a higher completion rate requiring conversion to open surgery. Postoperative biliary interventions varied, with open conversions seeing the least complications.