Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is commonly performed as an outpatient (OP) procedure in selected patients, either in ambulatory surgery units associated with a hospital or in freestanding facilities. To identify factors that may preclude OPLC, a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent LC by two surgeons from August 1996 through June 1998 was performed. A total of 126 patients were divided into three groups. Group I comprised 102 patients who underwent attempted elective OPLC. Group II comprised 20 patients who underwent LC on an emergent basis. Group III comprised 5 patients who were admitted before LC. Data were gathered regarding patient demographics, preoperative diagnoses, preoperative laboratory values, length of stay after surgery, and complications. These data were analyzed using logistic regression and univariate analysis. Age >60 and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) class >2 appeared to be significant predictors of admission, but when considered together, neither was significant. The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis or biliary pancreatitis was highly predictive of admission in both groups. An ASA class >2 did predict postoperative stay of more than 12 hours. These data suggest that OPLC can be performed safely in unselected patients. However, those patients with an ASA class >2 or with a diagnosis of biliary pancreatitis or acute cholecystitis are more likely to require admission or postoperative stay over 12 hours, and these criteria should be considered relative contraindications to OPLC in free-standing facilities.