Conversion rate of laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy

Purpose: to audit the conversion rate and identify the conversion reasons necessitating Yemeni laparoscopists to convert laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open procedure. Patients and Method:The data of patients who were attempted to laparoscopic cholecystectomy (n =709) between 2001 and 2005 were retrospectively analyzed in relation to conversion rate and reasons influencing the conversion to open surgery. The study included 648 women and 61 men with mean age of 38 years. (range 14 to 86 years). Cholecystectomies that were not primarily subjected to laparoscopic cholecystectomy from the beginning were excluded. Result: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was successfully performed in 650 patients with completion rate of 91.7%. Conversion to open cholecystectomy was carried out in 59 patients with conversion rate of 8.3% of all attempted laparoscopic cholecystectomies. Various conversion reasons have been identified. Extensive adhesions were the most common reason for conversion (n =20, 33.9%). Conclusion: Our descriptive study has shown that Yemeni laparoscopists still have conversion rate as high as that being reported in early years of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The most common reason for conversion to an open procedure was dense and extensive adhesions. The absence of strict operating system and the shortage of experience in laparoscopic surgery increased the rate of conversion