Benefits:
Prevent pain and development of complications
Over a ten year period 15-26% of people with gallstones will suffer from one or more attacks of biliary colic. 2-3% will get complications such as acute pancreatitis, cholecytitis or acute cholangitis. [Williams et al 2008 Gut 57:1004-1021]

Frequently occuring or serious risks:

• Infection - local wound (variously reported as between 5-15%, esp umbilicus), resp, urinary


• Bleeding


• DVT


• Bile duct injury (0.5%) and Bile leak (0.38%) [MacFadyen 1998 - A review of 40 series with 114,500 pt from 89-95]


• Retained stones


• Trocar injuries (quoted at 0.2%)

Not strictly a complication, but patient must be warned of the possibility of conversion to an open operation