To investigate the effects of different timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) on the stress state, inflammatory factors and immune function in patients with biliary pancreatitis (BP).

From December 2013 to December 2017, one hundred and fifty-six patients with mild non-obstructive BP treated in the Third People’s Hospital of Guangyuan City were retrospective analyzed. According to the timing of the operation, they were divided into early surgery group (operation within 72 h of tillness, 81 cases) and elective surgery group (surgery after 7 weeks of illness with a disease stability, 75 cases). The operation related complications and recurrence were compared between the two groups. Serum level changes of interleukin-6 (IL-6), C-reactive protein (CRP), adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol (Cor), and T lymphocyte subsets were measured preoperatively and 1, 3 days after surgery.

There were no significant differences in postoperative hospitalization time, number of indwelling drainage tube, conversion to open surgery and postoperative drainage volume between the two groups. The operation time and blood loss in elective surgery group were lower than early surgery group (t=5.748, 12.888, both P<0.01). The serum levels of IL-6, CRP, Cor and ACTH at 1 d after operation in the two groups were higher than those before operation, and the levels at 3 d after operation were significantly lower than those of 1 d after operation (P<0.05). However, the changes in the level of T lymphocyte subsets were opposite (P<0.05). There was no significant difference in stress and immune function between the two groups at 1 and 3 d after operation. There were no significant differences in complication rate and recurrence rate between the two groups (χ²=0.184, 0.005, P=0.668, 0.946).

Compared with elective surgery, early surgery does not increase the surgical difficulty and probability of complications in patients with mild non-obstructive gallstone pancreatitis, and the clinical efficacy is equally satisfactory.