Cholecystostomy: a place in modern biliary surgery?

Cholecystostomy retains a place in the general surgical armamentarium. In this series of 115 patients undergoing cholecystostomy between 1967 and 1977, 68 percent had acute cholecystitis, whereas in the remaining patients biliary drainage was undertaken as part of another procedure. The in-hospital mortality rate was 6 percent for the group with acute cholecystitis and 37 percent for the other patients. Forty-five patients subsequently had elective cholecystectomy, 29 of these for radiographically documented retained calculi. Thirty-four patients without retained calculi remained asymptomatic for more than 1 year. On the basis of this experience and the literature cited, we recommend that subsequent to cholecystostomy, cholecystectomy be performed if the patient is in good general health and has a long life expectancy. Conversely,in the aged, ill patient without evidence of retained stones, cholecystostomy may be a lifesaving and curative procedure and the only one needed.