In a retrospective analysis of all simple cholecystectomies performed between 1970 and 1987, we were particularly interested in the incidence of intraoperative surgical complications and their long-term follow-up. We analyzed 2441 consecutive simple cholecystectomies and found 60 major intraoperative complications with 55 patients (2.25%): there were 31 vascular lesions (1.27%) and 26 lesions of the biliary tract (1.06%). Amongst the patients with biliary tract lesion but one had to be reoperated one year later due to a stricture which occurred as a consequence of an end-to-end-hepatico-choledochostomy over a T-tube. Intraoperative technical complications may happen. Their early recognition and treatment are of utmost importance.
