[Organization of the preoperative patient's course in ambulatory laparoscopic cholecystectomy].

INTRODUCTION: The aim was to describe the organisation of an out-patient clinic for patients with gallstone disease in a day-surgery department and to evaluate the collaboration between admitting doctors and the hospital concerning the preoperative course. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 101 patients who had gallstone disease were admitted consecutively to the out-patient clinic. Information provided by the admitting doctors regarding the history of the disease, the blood-samples and the ultrasound was registered. Information of the treatment was subsequently obtained from medical records. RESULTS: On the admission 15% had symptoms, in 28% there were results of the liver function-test and in 56% there were results of ultrasound on the liver, gallbladder and pancreas. 46 patients were direct scheduled for surgery without further investigation and eight patients were finished without any treatment. In total 65 patients were operated, 23 patients were finished without any treatment, five patients were further elucidated and in eight cases no decision were taken concerning treatment by the end of the study. DISCUSSION: It was possible to schedule surgery at the first consultation in only 50% of the patients admitted with gallstone disease. The reason was mostly missing information from the liver function test or the ultrasound examination of the liver and bile ducts. Collaboration between the general practitioners and the hospital is of importance to achieve a rational preoperative evaluation of patients admitted with gallstone disease.