Chronic acalculous cholecystitis: reproduction of pain with cholecystokinin and relief of symptoms with cholecystectomy.

Over 500,000 patients undergo cholecystectomy annually in the United States for symptoms of upper abdominal discomfort and pain ascribed to gallbladder disease. However, approximately 5%, or 25,000 of these cases do not have gallstones on ultrasound examination but typically present with chronic symptoms of biliary colic. These patients often present as challenging diagnostic dilemmas and are often treated as if their symptoms are secondary to peptic ulcer disease or other gastrointestinal-related disorders. In 1992, we began to use the cholecystokinin (CCK) challenge test on patients with normal ultrasound examinations of the gallbladder but who had chronic symptoms resembling biliary colic. The CCK test was considered positive if the identical symptoms of discomfort or pain, usually in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen, were reproduced. This study describes the first 24 patients who had a positive CCK challenge test and chose to undergo cholecystectomy for relief of their symptoms. No patient was lost to follow-up evaluation at 1 to 24 months after operation.