OBJECTIVE To analyze the effect of gallbladder's morpho-functional changes as a risk factor for injury of extrahepatic bile ducts during cholecystectomy. METHODS Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in 20 564 patients. There were 147 64 (71.8%) patients with chronic gallbladder inflammation and 5800 (28.2%) - with acute process. It was performed a retrospective analysis of the incidence and causes of intraoperative trauma of extrahepatic bile ducts and bile outflow. Two groups of comparison were distinguished: acute calculous cholecystitis and chronic inflammation. RESULTS There were 93 (0.04%) complications followed by bile outflow (55 (0.94%) in the 1st group and 38 (0.25%) in the 2nd group). Marginal injury of the ducts was interoperatively detected in 5 patients of group 1 and 3 patients of 2 groups. In postoperative period it was found in 6 patients of the 1st group due to electric trauma of common bile duct. Complete transection of common bile duct occurred in 10 (8.8%) cases, while chronic calculous cholecystitis was observed in 8 of them. At the same time, in 6 patients these were surgical interventions in scleroatrophic gallbladder. As a results, we determined the forms of non-functioning gallbladder with morphofunctional changes which promote trauma of extrahepatic bile ducts. CONCLUSIONS Long-term non-functioning gallbladder leads to cicatricial and adhesive processes in its wall and surrounding tissues that significantly complicates cholecystectomy and increases the risk of bile ducts trauma. Scleroatrophic gallbladder is the most dangerous which occurs in 4.1% of patients with chronic calculous cholecystitis. Further trials are advisable to develop optimal therapeutic and diagnostic tactics for various forms of long-term non-functioning gallbladder.