The authors describe their experience in 15 cases of acute cholecystitis treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy in emergency. Only in one patient, affected with an abscess of the upper right abdominal space, a laparotomy was performed. The results were excellent. The 14 patients treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy were quickly discharged from the hospital (on an average 4 days after the surgical treatment) and the convalescence period was very short (range 10-15 days). In the patient treated with laparotomic cholecystectomy the postoperatory period was regular.