The long-term outcome of open cholecystectomy was investigated. Follow-up data at a median of 10 years were obtained from physicians' records on 325 (92.6 per cent) of 351 patients treated for symptomatic gallbladder stones by open cholecystectomy between 1978 and 1980. One 79-year-old patient died after operation, from a pulmonary complication. Of the 325 patients, 81.5 per cent were currently asymptomatic or had not had symptoms during follow-up until death. Sixty patients (18.5 per cent) had complaints after 10 years. Stone recurrence was found in five patients (1.5 per cent); ten others (3.1 per cent) had biliary tract-related complaints during follow-up. Blood samples were obtained in 67.3 per cent of surviving patients with biliary complaints. There were no laboratory findings associated with biliary obstruction. Patients with typical symptoms of gallstone disease before surgery had significantly fewer complaints during follow-up than those with typical as well as atypical symptoms (14.8 versus 26.5 per cent, P < 0.02). However, most of these complaints were not related to the procedure. It is concluded that the majority of patients reported no complaints or postcholecystectomy symptoms 10 years after surgery.