Because laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduces hospitalization time and postoperative disability, it is being offered to an increasing number of patients with symptomatic gallstones. Nevertheless, acute cholecystitis is still considered by many surgeons to be a relative contraindication. Our standard approach has been to perform laparoscopy on all patients considered candidates for cholecystectomy. From June 1990 to October 1991, the authors personally performed laparoscopic cholecystectomy on 110 patients, 29 (26%) of whom had pathologically confirmed acute cholecystitis. Of these, nine had evidence of gangrene, perforation, or abscess formation. It was necessary to convert to open cholecystectomy in four (14%) patients. In each, inflammation or dense adhesions precluded the performance of a safe operation. The hepatorenal space was drained in 12 (41%) and cystic dust cholangiograms were performed selectively. The mean operating time was 108 min. There were no intraoperative complications. One patient developed a prolonged postoperative paralytic ileus and two patients were noted to have postoperative common duct stones. There were no deaths. The average postoperative stay for laparoscopic cholecystectomy was 2.6 days. We conclude that the advantages of laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be safely and effectively extended to the majority of patients with acute cholecystitis.