The incidence, operative difficulty and outcomes of staged versus index admission laparoscopic cholecystectomy and bile duct exploration for all comers: a review of 5750 patients.

Index admission LC is superior to interval cholecystectomy and should be offered to all patients fit for general anaesthesia regardless of the presenting complaints. Subspecialisation should be encouraged as a major factor in optimising resource utilisation and postoperative outcomes of biliary emergencies.