Introduction: The ideal management of common bile duct (CBD) stones is preoperative endoscopic 
retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and extraction of stones followed by laparoscopic 
cholecystectomy (LC) which should be safe and cost effective. The time interval between ERCP and LC is a 
matter of debate. 
Aim: To evaluate the effect of time interval between ERCP and LC in patients with calcular obstructive 
jaundice as regard the operative time, conversion rate, hospital stay and post-operative morbidity and 
mortality.
Methods: This prospective randomized study was conducted at Surgery department, Sohag University 
Hospital from January 2010 to March 2012. It included 115 patients with calcular obstructive jaundice who 
were subjected to ERCP. Elective LC was performed within 48 hours (early group=60 patients) and after 4 
weeks (delayed group=55 patients) following ERCP. 
Results: Twenty (17.39%) patients needed conversion to open cholecystectomy; 5 (8.3%) in the early group 
and 15 (27.2%) in the delayed group. The mean operative time and the mean length of hospital stay were 
significantly shorter in the early group (45.5±10.6 Vs 75.4±16.8 minutes and 2.5±1.8 Vs 5.4±3.2 days 
respectively). More postoperative complications were found in the delayed group. No mortalities in both 
groups.
Conclusion: Early LC after ERCP had better outcome than delayed one.