Purpose: To assess the shortest time for catheter removal with regard to the transhepatic or transperitoneal approach in patients undergoing percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC).Methods: In this prospective study, 40 consecutive high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis (calculous, n = 22; acalculous, n = 18) underwent PC by means of a transhepatic (n = 20) or transperitoneal (n = 20) access route. In 28 patients (70%) computed tomography was used for puncture guidance, while in the remaining 12 (30%) the procedures were performed under ultrasound control. A fistulography was performed on the 14th postprocedural day in all patients and was repeated weekly if the tract was found to be immature. The catheter was removed only if a mature tract without evidence of leakage was delineated.Results: In 36 of 40 patients the procedure was technically successful (90%). Three of the unsuccessful punctures were attempted transperitoneally and one transhepatically. Thirty-five of 36 patients showed rapid improvement within the first 48 hr following the procedure (96%). Three of them died of their severe underlying disease (7.5%) and in another three the catheter was accidentally removed prior to the first fistulography (7.5%). A total of 30 patients could be fully evaluated after the procedure: 15 with a transhepatic, and 15 with a transperitoneal PC. Whereas 14 of 15 patients (93%) with transhepatic gallbladder access developed a mature tract after 14 days and the remaining patient after 3 weeks, only 2 of 15 patients (13%) with a transperitoneal route presented a mature tract after 2 weeks (p < 0.0001; chi2 test with Yates' correction). Eleven patients (73%) with transperitoneal access required 3 weeks and two patients (13%) 4 weeks for complete tract formation.Conclusion: A period of 2 weeks suffices for the majority of patients to develop a mature tract when the transhepatic access route is used; when using the trans- peritoneal route at least 3 weeks are required. We suggest that the transhepatic route is preferable since it allows earlier removal of the catheter and reduces the incidence of complications and discomfort for the patients.