The European experience with laparoscopic cholecystectomy.
 A retrospective survey of 7 European centers involving 20 surgeons who undertook 1,236 laparoscopic cholecystectomies was performed.
 The procedure was completed in 1,191 patients.
 Conversion to open cholecystectomy was necessary in 45 patients (3.6%) either because of technical difficulty (n = 33), the onset of complications (n = 11), or instrument failure (n = 1).
 There were no deaths reported, and the total postoperative complication rate was 20 of 1,203 (1.6%), with 9 being serious complications requiring laparotomy.
 The total incidence of bile duct damage was 4 of 1,203.
 The median hospital stay was 3 days (range: 1 to 27 days) and the median time to return to full activity after discharge was 11 days (range: 7 to 42 days).
