A 55-year-old man recovers uneventfully from a first episode of mild acute biliary pancreatitis confirmed by ultrasound showing multiple gallstones and a normal common bile duct. He is tolerating oral diet on day 3. The correct timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is:

• A Only after endoscopic sphincterotomy
• B Six weeks after discharge to allow inflammation to settle
• C During the same hospital admission, before discharge ✓
• D After a repeat MRCP at three months

Explanation

In mild gallstone pancreatitis, cholecystectomy performed on the same admission before discharge reduces the risk of recurrent biliary events, which occur in up to a quarter of patients discharged without surgery. The older practice of waiting six weeks increases readmissions without improving outcomes. Preoperative ERCP or MRCP is unnecessary here since there is no evidence of persistent choledocholithiasis.

Reference: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 21st ed.

High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP

Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.