Should percutaneous cholecystostomy be used in all cases difficult to manage?

BACKGROUND

Cholecystectomy is the well-accepted management method for acute cholecystitis in patients suitable for surgery. Percutaneous cholecystostomy is planned and used in patients at high surgical risk due to acute symptomatic cholecystitis and/or acute or chronic comorbidity. Percutaneous cholecystostomy can provide permanent treatment, or it may act as a bridge for elective cholecystectomy.

METHODS

We presented the outcomes of 50 patients who initially underwent ultrasound-guided transhepatic percutaneous cholecystostomy and 4-6 weeks later, an interval cholecystectomy. All patients had either impaired gallbladder wall integrity on contrast-enhanced abdominal computed tomography performed during admission or had grade II acute cholecystitis according to the Tokyo Guidelines 13 diagnostic criteria and severity grading of acute cholecystitis or exhibited clinical signs of acute cholecystitis on the fifth day of non-operative treatment.

RESULTS

Our results suggest that although percutaneous cholecystostomy is a useful method for alleviation of the emergency clinical condition in acute cholecystitis, it makes the interval cholecystectomy more difficult to perform due to the dense fibrosis developing during the healing process, eventually complicating laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

CONCLUSION

Cholecystostomy may cause fibrosis during the healing process, eventually complicating laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Thus, there is a need for better evaluation during the identification of indications for cholecystostomy.