Objective. To improve the results of treatment of acute cholecystitis. Material and methods. A historical cohort study (1965—2016) included 1248 patients with acute obstructive cholecystitis and 154 patients with acute obstructive cholecystitis combined with ductal complications and obstructive jaundice. Cholecystostomy was used in all patients. A systematic review of the evidence base on the use of cholecystostomy in high-risk patients was carried out. Results. Cholecystostomy through laparotomy was performed in 240 patients for the period 1965—1981. Overall mortality was 3.6%. Staged treatment strategy has been applied since 1982. Laparoscopic cholecystostomy followed by cholecystectomy through laparotomy was performed in 225 patients for the period from 1982 to 1992. Overall mortality rate was 3.2%. Laparoscopic cholecystostomy (n=617) followed by staged laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been applied for the period from 1993 to 2007. Overall mortality decreased up to 1.1%. Indications for laparoscopic cholecystostomy and staged treatment have been limited since 2008 (n=166). Overall mortality rate was 0.6%. The maximum postoperative mortality after cholecystostomy in some years reached 14.8%. Simultaneous surgeries through laparotomy in patients with acute obstructive cholecystitis and ductal complications were followed by mortality rate 8%, staged laparoscopic cholecystostomy and other minimally invasive technologies (endoscopic papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction and laparoscopic cholecystectomy) — 4.7%. Conclusion. External drainage of the gallbladder is more effective as additional method within staged minimally invasive treatment of complicated cholecystitis rather separate operation. Further analysis of treatment of high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis (as most often selected for cholecystostomy) is required considering the absence of evidence base on this issue.