RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To determine feasibility and outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for Black patients in Ga-Rankuwa Hospital and to analyse the type of stones harvested. DESIGN: Cross sectional description study. SETTING: Ga-Rankuwa Hospital/Medunsa, South Africa. SUBJECTS: 79 patients who presented with cholelithiasis over a six year period. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Successful performance of laparoscopic cholecystectomy on the subjects. RESULTS: 39 laparoscopic cholecystectomies were performed with seven conversions (18% conversion rate). Forty open cholecystectomies were also performed. Post operative stay after laparoscopic cholecystectomy averaged 3.5 days and that of the open converted group 6.9 days (p < 0.001). Two patients returned with persistence of symptoms following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Twenty gall stones were analysed; 17 were of the cholesterol type and three of the black pigment type. CONCLUSIONS: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is feasible in the Black populace of Ga-Rankuwa Hospital. The majority of gallstones are of the cholesterol type.