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Acute cholecystitis is one of the most common causes of acute abdomen. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment, still burdened by a risk of intraoperative biliary duct injury. An alternative strategy to manage patients with severe acute cholecystitis is the percutaneous gallbladder drainage (PGBD). The Italian Society of Emergency Surgery and Trauma performed a systematic review and meta-analysis with the aim to clarify controversies about the preoperative use of PGBD. We extracted 32 studies: 9 Randomized Control Trial Studies (RCTs) and 23 no RCTs. The incidence of post-operative complications was lower in the PGBD associated at LC than in the LC alone (RCTs: RR 0.28, 95% CI 0.14 to 0.56, I2 = 63%). The incidence of the post-operative biliary leakage was higher in late PGBD' group (RCTs: RR 0.18, 95% CI 0.04 to 0.80). The incidence of intraabdominal abscess, blood loss, conversion to open, subtotal cholecystectomy, operative time and wound infection was lower in PGBD' group. The total hospital stay was the same. A strong recommendation is performed to the use of the PGBD + LC than upfront LC to reduce biliary leakage (recommendation "strong positive") in high risk acute cholecystitis especially in patients with higher perioperative risks or longstanding acute cholecystitis. For post-operative complications a recommendation "positive weak" suggests that PGBD + LC could be used than upfront LC to reduce the rate of post-operative complications. • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is still burdened by a certain risk of biliary injury. • An alternative strategy to manage acute cholecystitis is the cholecystostomy. • Lower complications in the drainage before laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. • Secondary outcomes are in favour of the drainage before the cholecystectomy. • Cholecystostomy before cholecystectomy is recommended in severe cholecystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) for acute cholecystitis (AC) poses multiple challenges. The Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) eliminated the time limit (< 72 h) and expanded the surgical indication to severe AC. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes of ELC for AC following the TG18 in a single high-volume center. Methods: From 2019 to 2021, we managed all AC patients with a TG18 flowchart and prospectively enrolled those who underwent ELC within 7 days of symptom onset. The primary outcome was overall morbidity, with a comparison between mild (Grade I) and moderate/severe (Grade II/III) AC. Results: During the study period, 201 patients underwent ELC was for Grade I (56.2%), II (40.3%), and III (3.5%) ACs. Mean age was 69 ± 15.2 years and time to surgery from symptom onset was 0 (12.9%), 1–3 (66.7%), and 4–7 days (20.4%). Mean operative time and blood loss were 118.9 ± 42.7 min and 57.8 ± 99.4 mL, respectively. The critical view of safety (CVS) was achieved in 76.1% of patients, and bailout procedures were performed in 21.4%. There were no open conversions or bile duct injuries. Major morbidities (Clavien–Dindo classification ≥ IIIa) were observed in 5.5% of cases and mortality in 0.5%. Comparing Grades II/III to Grade I, operative time was longer (112.3 vs. 127.3 min, p = 0.014), blood loss was higher (40.3 vs. 80.1 mL, p = 0.005), the CVS rate was lower (83.2 vs. 67.0%, p = 0.012), and the major morbidity rate was higher (1.8 vs. 10.2%, p = 0.012). In the subgroup analysis of Grade II/III, there were no significant differences in major morbidities (p = 0.288) between the two groups (0–3 vs. 4–7 days). Conclusion: ELC for AC following TG18 is feasible with low morbidity rates. However, ELC for Grade II/III ACs remains challenging, and surgeons must carefully assess intraoperative difficulties and surgical risks before proceeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The blood urea nitrogen to serum albumin ratio (BAR) is a biomarker of acute pulmonary embolism, pneumonia, critical illness, and prognostic mortality in geriatric patients. Hospital stay of patients with acute cholecystitis is prolonged according to the severity of the disease. We evaluated the predictive ability of BAR for prolonged hospital stay in acute cholecystitis. Materials and Methods: This study was designed retrospectively and evaluated data collected at an emergency department from January 5, 2022, through April 5, 2022. Patients stayed in the hospital for eight days or longer were categorized as having a prolonged hospital stay, while those staying for seven days or less were considered to have an expected hospital stay. The receiver operating characteristic assessment was undertaken to establish the extent to which the investigated variables predicted prolonged hospital stay. Results: The study was conducted over the data of 220 patients. The mean age (25th-75th percentile) was 59.0 (43.8-71.0) years, and 109 (50 %) patients were female. During the one-month follow-up, four (2 %) patients died. In total, 86 patients underwent surgery. The odds ratio for predicting prolonged hospital stay was found to be 4.88 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.66-14.37, p=0.002] for BAR, 2.81 (95% CI: 1.36-5.78, p=0.004) for blood urea nitrogen, and 0.13 (95% CI: 0.04-0.38, p<0.001) for albumin. Conclusion: The BAR calculated during the initial presentation to the emergency department can anticipate extended hospital stays in patients with acute cholecystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This systematic review aims to investigate whether percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder biliary drainage (PTGBD) is superior to emergency cholecystectomy (EC) as a definitive treatment in high-risk patients with acute cholecystitis (AC). Material and Methods: A systematic literature search was performed until December 2022 using the Scopus, Medline/PubMed and Web of Science databases. Results: Seventeen studies have been included with a total of 783,672 patients (32,634 treated with PTGBD vs. 4663 who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 343 who had open cholecystectomy and 746,032 who had some form of cholecystectomy, but without laparoscopic or open approach being specified). An analysis of the results shows that PTGBD, despite being less invasive, is not associated with lower morbidity with respect to EC (RR 0.77 95% CI [0.44 to 1.34]; I2 = 99%; p = 0.36). A lower postoperative mortality was reported in patients who underwent EC (2.37%) with respect to the PTGBD group (13.78%) (RR 4.21; 95% CI [2.69 to 6.58]; p < 0.00001); furthermore, the risk of hospital readmission for biliary complications (RR 2.19 95% CI [1.72 to 2.79]; I2 = 48%; p < 0.00001) and hospital stay (MD 4.29 95% CI [2.40 to 6.19]; p < 0.00001) were lower in the EC group. Conclusions: In our systematic review, the majority of studies have very low-quality evidence and more RCTs are needed; furthermore, PTGBD is inferior in the treatment of AC in high-risk patients. The definition of high-risk patients is important in interpreting the results, but the methods of assessment and definitions differ between studies. The results of our systematic review and meta-analysis failed to demonstrate any advantage of using PTGBD over ER as a definitive treatment of AC in critically ill patients, which suggests that EC should be considered as the treatment of choice even in very high-risk patients. Most likely, the inferiority of PTGBD versus early LC for high-risk patients is related to an association of various patient-side factor conditions and the severity of acute cholecystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery / Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi is the property of KARE Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The incidence of common bile duct injuries following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains three times higher than that following open surgery despite numerous attempts to decrease intraoperative incidents by employing better training, superior surgical instruments, imaging techniques, or strategic concepts. This paper is a narrative review which discusses from a contextual point of view the need to standardise the surgical approach in difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies, the main strategic operative concepts and techniques, complementary visualisation aids for the delineation of anatomical landmarks, and the importance of cognitive maps and algorithms in performing safer LC. Extensive research was carried out in the PubMed, Web of Science, and Elsevier databases using the terms "difficult cholecystectomy", "bile duct injuries", "safe cholecystectomy", and "laparoscopy in acute cholecystitis". The key content and findings of this research suggest there is high intersocietal variation in approaching and performing LC, in the use of visualisation aids, and in the application of safety concepts. Limited papers offer guidelines based on robust data and a timid recognition of the human factors and ergonomic concepts in improving the outcomes associated with difficult cholecystectomies. This paper highlights the most relevant recommendations for dealing with difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background : Surgeons can minimize the risk of bile duct injury (BDI) during challenging mini-invasive cholecystectomy through technical standardization by means of a precise anatomical landmark identification (Critical View of Safety) and advanced technology for biliary visualization. Among these systems, the adoption of magnified stereoscopic 3-dimensional view provided by robotic platforms and near infrared fluorescent cholangiography (NIRF-C) is the most promising. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, we evaluated all consecutive minimally invasive cholecystectomies (laparoscopic and robotic) performed with NIRF-C between May 2022 and January 2023 at General Surgery Unit, Department of Health Sciences, University of Milan, San Paolo Hospital (Milan, Italy). Inclusions criteria were as follows: (1) acute cholecystitis (emergency group), (2) history of chronic cholecystitis or complicated cholelithiasis (deferred urgent group), (3) difficult cases (patients affected by cirrhosis, with scleroatrophic gallbladder or BMI > 35 kg/m2). For each group, the detection rate and visualization order of the main biliary structures were reported (cystic duct, CD; common hepatic duct, CHD; common bile duct, CBD; and CD-CHD junction). Results: A total of 101 consecutive patients were enrolled, including 83 laparoscopic and 18 robotic cholecystectomies. All patients were stratified into three subgroups: (a) emergency group (n = 33, 32.7%), (b) deferred urgent group (n = 46, 45.5%), (c) difficult group (n = 22, 21.8%). Visualization of at least one biliary structure was possible in 94.1% of cases (95/101). Interestingly, all four main structures were detected in 43.6% of cases (44/101). The CD was the structure identified most frequently, being recognized in 91/101 patients (90.1%), followed by CBD (83.2%), CHD (62.4%), and CD-CHD junction (52.5%). In the subset of patients that underwent emergency surgery for AC, the CD-CHD confluence was identified in only 45.5% of cases. However, early and precise identification of CBD (75.8%) and CD (87.9%) allowed safe isolation, clipping, and transection of the cystic duct. In the deferred urgent group, the CBD and the CD were easily identified as first structure in a high percentage of cases (65.2% and 41.3% respectively), whereas the CD-CHD junction was the third structure to be identified in 67.4% of cases, the highest value among the three subgroups. In the difficult group, NIRF-C did not prove to be a useful tool for biliary visualization. The rates of failure of visualization were elevated: CBD (27.3%), CD (18.2%), CHD (54.5%), and CD-CHD (68.2%). Conclusions: NIRF-C is a powerful real-time diagnostic tool to detect CBD and CD during minimally invasive cholecystectomy, especially when inflammation due to acute or chronic cholecystitis subverted the anatomy of the hepatoduodenal ligament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis of biliary origin is increasing worldwide and has become one of the leading causes of emergency department admissions. The presence of multi-resistant bacteria (MRB) is increasing, and mortality rates may reach 20%. This review focuses on the changes induced by the Tokyo guidelines and new concepts related to the early treatment of severe biliary disease. If cholecystitis or cholangitis is suspected, ultrasound is the imaging test of choice. Appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment should be initiated promptly, and selection should be performed while bearing in mind the severity and risk factors for MRB. In acute cholecystitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the main therapeutic intervention. In patients not suitable for surgery, percutaneous cholecystostomy is a valid alternative for controlling the infection. Treatment of severe acute cholangitis is based on endoscopic or transhepatic bile duct drainage and antibiotic therapy. Endoscopic ultrasound and other new endoscopic techniques have been added to the arsenal as novel alternatives in high-risk patients. However, biliary infections remain serious conditions that can lead to sepsis and death. The introduction of internationally accepted guidelines, based on clinical presentation, laboratory tests, and imaging, provides a framework for their rapid diagnosis and treatment. Prompt assessment of patient severity, timely initiation of antimicrobials, and early control of the source of infection are essential to reduce morbidity and mortality rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery / Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi is the property of KARE Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Acute biliary tract disease has serious threat for the patient life. Emergency surgery for critical patients tends to poor prognosis. Multidisciplinary advantages were integrated and the experiences were summarized in our department which showed that staged treatment of patients with biliary emergency would improve the prognosis greatly. For the patients with acute severe cholecystitis, percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) was performed first to relieve obstruction and elective surgical treatment was done then, which could reduce significantly the rates of biliary tract injury and postoperative mortality and the rate of intensive care unit admission. It was safer for patients with biliary pancreatitis that firstly PTGBD was performed to relieve the symptoms of pancreatitis, and elective endoscopic sphincterotomy or laparoscopic common bile duct exploration was performed. It is the first to relieve biliary obstruction for the patients of intrahepatic and extrahepatic bile duct stones with bile duct dilatation using endoscopic nasobiliary drainage (ENBD) or percutaneous transhepatic cholangiodrainage (PTCD), which would improve the survival rate greatly. PTCD or ENBD could be used for the patients with malignant tumor in biliary tract to reduce jaundice as early as possible. And then, stent was implanted through PTCD to prolong life.

Objective Acute gallbladder disease (AGD) is frequent in the emergency department (ED) and usually requires emergency surgery. However, only a few studies have reported the impact of COVID-19 on AGD. The goal of this study was to evaluate the time between symptom onset and surgery and the perioperative severity of AGD during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to before the era of COVID-19. Methods This retrospective, single-center cohort study included patients who presented to the ED with suspected AGD and who underwent emergency cholecystectomy. We designed a before-after comparative study, and the intervention was the COVID-19 outbreak. The 6-month period after the COVID-19 outbreak was defined as the post-COVID group, whereas the pre-COVID group consisted of the same period in the previous year. The primary outcome was the time from symptoms to surgery. We evaluated the time intervals between symptom onset and ED arrival and between ED arrival and surgery. The secondary outcomes were preoperative and postoperative severity indexes. Results A total of 316 patients was analyzed. The post-COVID group showed longer duration from symptom onset to ED arrival (34.0 hours vs. 15.0 hours, P

Abstract Background Cholecystitis can represent a comorbidity during gallbladder cancer surgery; nonetheless, the prognostic impact of acute cholecystitis comorbidity remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of acute cholecystitis comorbidity on prognosis after gallbladder cancer surgery, with adjustment for background factors using propensity score analysis. Methods A total of 218 patients who underwent gallbladder cancer surgery at our institute between 1986 and 2022 were retrospectively included in the analysis. Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of acute cholecystitis at the time of surgery. Background factors were adjusted by including intraoperative bile leakage as a covariate in propensity score calculation. Overall survival and recurrence-free survival were compared between the two groups using one-to-one propensity score matching and inverse probability weighting. Results Of the 218 patients, 37 had coexisting acute cholecystitis. In one-to-one propensity score matching, the overall survival time in the acute cholecystitis group tended to be shorter than that in the non-acute cholecystitis group, although not significantly (hazard ratio, 2.41; 95% confidence interval, 0.96–6.06). Other analyses using inverse probability weighting showed significantly poor overall survival in the acute cholecystitis group. Regarding recurrence-free survival in propensity score matching, the acute cholecystitis group showed a significantly shorter duration than the non-acute cholecystitis group (hazard ratio, 6.69; 95% confidence interval, 1.46–30.6). The inverse probability weighting-adjusted analysis also indicated a significantly higher risk of recurrence in the acute cholecystitis group. Conclusions Acute cholecystitis comorbidity at the time of gallbladder cancer surgery may have a negative impact on gallbladder cancer prognosis.

Abstract Background Less invasive alternatives than early cholecystectomy (EC) for acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) treatment have been spreading in recent years. We still lack a reliable tool to select high-risk patients who could benefit from these alternatives. Our study aimed to prospectively validate the Chole-risk score in predicting postoperative complications in patients undergoing EC for ACC compared with other preoperative risk prediction models. Method The S.P.Ri.M.A.C.C. study is a World Society of Emergency Surgery prospective multicenter observational study. From 1st September 2021 to 1st September 2022, 1253 consecutive patients admitted in 79 centers were included. The inclusion criteria were a diagnosis of ACC and to be a candidate for EC. A Cochran-Armitage test of the trend was run to determine whether a linear correlation existed between the Chole-risk score and a complicated postoperative course. To assess the accuracy of the analyzed prediction models—POSSUM Physiological Score (PS), modified Frailty Index, Charlson Comorbidity Index, American Society of Anesthesiologist score (ASA), APACHE II score, and ACC severity grade—receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) was used to compare the diagnostic abilities. Results A 30-day major morbidity of 6.6% and 30-day mortality of 1.1% were found. Chole-risk was validated, but POSSUM PS was the best risk prediction model for a complicated course after EC for ACC (in-hospital mortality: AUC 0.94, p

Importance: Approximately 335,000 cases of biliary colic present to US emergency departments (EDs) annually, and most patients without complications are discharged from the ED. It is unknown what are the subsequent surgery rates, subsequent complications of biliary disease, ED revisits, repeat hospitalizations and cost; and, how does the ED disposition decision (admission versus discharge) affect long-term outcomes. Objective: To determine whether there is a difference in one-year surgery rates, complications of biliary disease, ED revisits, repeat hospitalizations, and cost in ED patients with uncomplicated biliary colic who are admitted to the hospital versus those that are discharged from the ED. Design, setting, and participants: A retrospective observational study was conducted using records collected from the Maryland Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) in the Ambulatory Surgery, the Inpatient, and the ED setting between 2016 and 2018. After applying inclusion criteria, 7036 ED patients with uncomplicated biliary colic were followed for one year after their index ED visit for repeat healthcare utilization across multiple settings. A multivariable logistic regression study was performed to asses for risk factors for surgery allocation and hospital admission. Medicare Relative Value Units (RVUs) and HCUP Cost-Charge Ratio files were used to estimate direct costs. Exposures: Episodes of biliary colic were ascertained using ICD-10 codes at the index ED visit. Main outcomes and measures: The primary outcome was the one-year surgery rate, defined as a cholecystectomy. Secondary outcomes included the rate of new acute cholecystitis or other related complications, ED revisits, hospital admission and costs. Associations with hospital admission and surgeries were measured using adjusted odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % CIs. Results: Of the 7036 patients analyzed, 793 (11.3 %) were admitted and 6243 (88.7 %) were discharged on their initial ED visit. When comparing the groups who were initially admitted versus discharged, we observed similar one-year cholecystectomy rates (42 % versus 43 %, mean difference 0.5 %, 95 % CI −3.1 %–4.2 %; P < 0.001), lower rates of new cholecystitis occurrences (18 % versus 41 %, mean difference 23 %, 95 % CI, 20 %–26 %; P < 0.001), lower rates of ED revisits (96 vs 198 per 1000 patients, mean difference 102, 95 % CI, 74–130; P < 0.001) and higher costs ($9880 versus $1832, mean difference 8048, 95 % CI, 7478–8618; P < 0.001). Initial ED hospital admission was associated with increased age (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 1.44; 95 % CI, 1.35–1.53; P < 0.001), obesity (aOR, 1.38; 95 % CI, 1.32–1.44; P < 0.001), ischemic heart disease (aOR, 1.39; 95 % CI, 1.30–1.48; P < 0.001), mood disorders (aOR, 1.18; 95 % CI, 1.13–1.24; P < 0.001), alcohol-related disorders (aOR, 1.20; 95 % CI, 1.12–1.27; P < 0.001), hyperlipidemia (aOR, 1.16; 95 % CI, 1.09–1.23; P < 0.001), hypertension (aOR, 1.15; 95 % CI, 1.08–1.21; P < 0.001), and nicotine dependence (aOR, 1.09; 95 % CI, 1.03–1.15; P = 0.003) but not associated with race (P > 0.9), ethnicity (P > 0.9), or income-stratified zip code (aOR, 1.04; 95 % CI, 0.98–1.09; P = 0.17). Conclusions and relevance: In our analysis of ED patients with uncomplicated biliary colic from a single state, the majority of patients do not receive a cholecystectomy within one year and hospital admission at the initial visit was not associated with an overall change in rates of cholecystectomy but was associated with increased costs. These findings inform our understanding of the long-term outcomes and are important considerations when communicating care options with ED patients with biliary colic.

Abstract Background Hematologic patients requiring abdominal emergency surgery are considered to be a high-risk population based on disease- and treatment-related immunosuppression. However, the optimal surgical therapy and perioperative management of patients with abdominal emergency surgery in patients with coexisting hematological malignancies remain unclear. Methods We here report a single-center retrospective analysis aimed to investigate the impact of abdominal emergency surgery due to clinically suspected gastrointestinal perforation (group A), intestinal obstruction (group B), or acute cholecystitis (group C) on mortality and morbidity of patients with coexisting hematological malignancies. All patients included in this retrospective single-center study were identified by screening for the ICD 10 diagnostic codes for gastrointestinal perforation, intestinal obstruction, and ischemia and acute cholecystitis. In addition, a keyword search was performed in the database of all pathology reports in the given time frame. Results A total of 56 patients were included in this study. Gastrointestinal perforation and intestinal obstruction occurred in 26 and 13 patients, respectively. Of those, 21 patients received a primary gastrointestinal anastomosis, and anastomotic leakage (AL) occurred in 33.3% and resulted in an AL-related 30-day mortality rate of 80%. The only factor associated with higher rates of AL was sepsis before surgery. In patients with suspected acute cholecystitis, postoperative bleeding events requiring abdominal packing occurred in three patients and lead to overall perioperative morbidity of 17.6% and surgery-related 30-day mortality of 5.9%. Conclusion In patients with known or suspected hematologic malignancies who require emergency abdominal surgery due to gastrointestinal perforation or intestinal obstruction, a temporary or permanent stoma might be preferred to a primary intestinal anastomosis.

The aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of the diagnosis of senile asthenia using the Edmonton Frail scale in emergency abdominal surgery and to determine its impact on the severity of the perioperative period. Materials and methods. The study included 81 patients with acute cholecystitis on the background of gallstone disease, who were assessed for senile asthenia using the Edmonton Frail scale. For the reliability of the obtained results, only patients who were urgently hospitalized to the surgical department with gynecology beds of the emergency hospital with clinical symptoms of acute cholecystitis were included. All patients received treatment in only one department and according to the standards and clinical protocols of this clinic. Based on the Edmonton Frail score, all patients were divided into two groups. The comparison group included 50 (61.7 %) patients who did not have senile asthenia. The main group included 31 (38.3 %) patients diagnosed with senile asthenia. Results. Surgical treatment in both groups was carried out on an urgent basis using total intravenous anesthesia with artificial lung ventilation. According to the type of surgical intervention in both groups, preference was given to minimally invasive methods. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the comparison group was performed in 49 (98.0 %) patients, and only one patient (2.0 %) was converted and operation continued from the mini-access. In the main group, all surgical interventions were performed by the laparoscopic method, U = 759.50, P = 0.8841. Analyzing the results of the duration parameters and the need for prolonged mechanical ventilation, it can be seen that it progressively increases in patients with asthenia: in the comparison group 61.50 (48.00; 75.00) minutes, and in the main 93.84 (60.00; 80.00), U = 513.50, P = 0.0112. Also, we noted that in patients with senile asthenia, the number of postoperative complications increases: in the comparison group, there were only 2 (4.0 %) postoperative complications, while in the main group – 7 (22.6 %), U = 556.00, Р = 0.0337. Summarizing the results, it can be seen that due to increase of the frequency of postoperative complications and increase of the need for prolonged artificial ventilation of the lungs, the length of hospital stay of patients with senile asthenia increased: in the comparison group it was 7.9 ± 2.2 days, and in the main group 9.7 ± 3.2 days, U = 530.50, P = 0.0177. Conclusions. In our opinion, the Edmonton Frail scale is effective in diagnosing the severity of senile asthenia in elderly and senile patients in emergency abdominal surgery due to its simplicity and speed of use. The overall severity of the condition, heart failure in patients with senile asthenia lead to increase in the duration of surgery and the total duration of artificial lung ventilation: in the comparison group 39.52 (30.00; 45.00) minutes, while in the main group 49.19 (35.00; 50.00) minutes, U = 482.50, P = 0.0046. The duration of mechanical ventilation also differed significantly, in the comparison group 61.50 (48.00; 75.00) minutes, and in the main – 93.84 (60.00; 80.00), U = 513.50, P = 0.0112. The severity of senile asthenia negatively affects the course of the perioperative period, the frequency of postoperative complications increases: 2 (4.0 %) patients in the comparison group, while in the main group of 7 (22.6 %) patients, U = 556.00, P = 0.0337 and, as a consequence, the duration of inpatient treatment increases: in the comparison group it was 7.9 ± 2.2 days, in the main – 9.7 ± 3.2, U = 530.50, P = 0.0177. Modification of the approaches to preoperative preparation and postoperative management of elderly and senile patients diagnosed with senile asthenia will reduce the frequency of postoperative complications and reduce the length of hospital stay.

Background: Although endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) using lumen-apposing metal stents (LAMS) has become one of the treatments of choice for acute cholecystitis (AC) in fragile patients, scant data are available on real-life settings and long-term outcomes. Methods: We performed a multicenter retrospective study including EUS-guided GBD using LAMS for AC in 19 Italian centers from June 2014 to July 2020. The primary outcomes were technical and clinical success, and the secondary outcomes were the rate of adverse events (AE) and long-term follow-up. Results: In total, 116 patients (48.3% female) were included, with a mean age of 82.7 ± 11 years. LAMS were placed, transgastric in 44.8% of cases, transduodenal in 53.3% and transjejunal in 1.7%, in patients with altered anatomy. Technical success was achieved in 94% and clinical success in 87.1% of cases. The mean follow-up was 309 days. AEs occurred in 12/116 pts (10.3%); 8/12 were intraprocedural, while 1 was classified as early (15 days). According to the ASGE lexicon, two (16.7%) were mild, three (25%) were moderate, and seven (58.3%) were severe. No fatal AEs occurred. In subgroup analysis of 40 patients with a follow-up longer than one year, no recurrence of AC was observed. Conclusions: EUS-GBD had high technical and clinical success rates, despite the non-negligible rate of AEs, thus representing an effective treatment option for fragile patients.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold standard treatment in acute cholecystitis. However, one in six cases is expected to be difficult due to intense inflammation and suspected adherence to and involvement of adjacent important structures, which may predispose patients to higher risk of vascular and biliary injuries. In this study, we aimed to identify the preoperative parameters with predictive value for surgical difficulties. A retrospective study of 255 patients with acute cholecystitis admitted in emergency was performed between 2019 and 2023. Patients in the difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy (DLC) group experienced more complications compared to the normal LC group (33.3% vs. 15.3%, p < 0.001). Age (p = 0.009), male sex (p = 0.03), diabetes (p = 0.02), delayed presentation (p = 0.03), fever (p = 0.004), and a positive Murphy sign (p = 0.007) were more frequently encountered in the DLC group. Total leukocytes, neutrophils, and the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) were significantly higher in the DLC group (p < 0.001, p = 0.001, p = 0.001 respectively). The Tongyoo score (AUC ROC of 0.856) and a multivariate model based on serum fibrinogen, thickness of the gallbladder wall, and transverse diameter of the gallbladder (AUC ROC of 0.802) showed a superior predictive power when compared to independent parameters. The predictive factors for DLC should be assessed preoperatively to optimize the therapeutic decision.

A percutaneous cholecystostomy tube (PCT) is the conventionally favored nonoperative intervention for treating acute cholecystitis. However, PCT is beset by high adverse event rates, need for scheduled reintervention, and inadvertent dislodgement, as well as patient dissatisfaction with a percutaneous drain. Recent advances in endoscopic therapy involve the implementation of endoscopic transpapillary drainage (ETP-GBD) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD), which are increasingly preferred over PCT due to their favorable technical and clinical success combined with lower complication rates. In this article, we provide a comprehensive review of the literature on EUS-GBD and ETP-GBD, delineating instances when clinicians should opt for endoscopic management and highlighting potential risks associated with each approach.

Abstract Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the time of cesarean section is novel in medicine. It is safe, feasible, and cost-effective. Case presentation A 29-year-old G3P2 + 0 woman had two previous cesarean sections. She was pregnant at 32 weeks. The fetus had anencephaly. She had acute cholecystitis. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy done at the time of termination of pregnancy by cesarean section. Conclusions In a critical period, such as acute cholecystitis, the combination of laparoscopic cholecystectomy immediately post cesarean section is effective if the surgeon is highly qualified and experienced.

Biloma is an encapsulated intra or extra-hepatic collection of bile after biliary tree trauma. Post-procedural and traumatic biliary damage are the most common etiologic causes. Gallbladder perforation due to acute cholecystitis rarely presents with biloma occurrence. We present a case of large extrahepatic biloma formation as a consequence of a perforated gallbladder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Acute cholecystitis (AC) is an acute inflammatory process of the gallbladder that may be associated with potentially severe complications, such as empyema, gangrene, perforation of the gallbladder, and sepsis. The gold standard treatment for AC is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, for a small group of AC patients, the risk of laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be very high, mainly in the elderly with associated severe diseases. In these critically ill patients, percutaneous cholecystostomy or endoscopic ultrasound gallbladder drainage may be a temporary therapeutic option, a bridge to cholecystectomy. The objective of this Brazilian College of Digestive Surgery Position Paper is to present new advances in AC treatment in high-risk surgical patients to help surgeons, endoscopists, and physicians select the best treatment for their patients. The effectiveness, safety, advantages, disadvantages, and outcomes of each procedure are discussed. The main conclusions are: a) AC patients with elevated surgical risk must be preferably treated in tertiary hospitals where surgical, radiological, and endoscopic expertise and resources are available; b) The optimal treatment modality for high-surgical-risk patients should be individualized based on clinical conditions and available expertise; c) Laparoscopic cholecystectomy remains an excellent option of treatment, mainly in hospitals in which percutaneous or endoscopic gallbladder drainage is not available; d) Percutaneous cholecystostomy and endoscopic gallbladder drainage should be performed only in well-equipped hospitals with experienced interventional radiologist and/or endoscopist; e) Cholecystostomy catheter should be removed after resolution of AC. However, in patients who have no clinical condition to undergo cholecystectomy, the catheter may be maintained for a prolonged period or even definitively; f) If the cholecystostomy catheter is maintained for a long period of time several complications may occur, such as bleeding, bile leakage, obstruction, pain at the insertion site, accidental removal of the catheter, and recurrent AC; g) The ideal waiting time between cholecystostomy and cholecystectomy has not yet been established and ranges from immediately after clinical improvement to months. h) Long waiting periods between cholecystostomy and cholecystectomy may be associated with new episodes of acute cholecystitis, multiple hospital readmissions, and increased costs. Finally, when selecting the best treatment option other aspects should also be considered, such as costs, procedures available at the medical center, and the patient’s desire. The patient and his family should be fully informed about all treatment options, so they can help making the final decision.

Introduction: Although cases of acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, and acute appendicitis following dengue virus infections have been documented, very few large-scale studies have investigated the postdengue risk of these acute abdominal conditions. Methods: This retrospective population-based cohort study included all patients with laboratory-confirmed dengue from 2002 to 2015 in Taiwan and 1:4 nondengue individuals matched by age, sex, area of residence, and symptom onset time. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to investigate the short-term (≤ 30 days), medium-term (31–365 days), and long-term (> 1 year) risks of acute cholecystitis, pancreatitis, and appendicitis after dengue infection, adjusted for age, sex, area of residence, urbanization level, monthly income level, and comorbidities. Bonferroni correction was used for multiple testing; E-values were used to assess the robustness of the results to unmeasured confounding. Results: This study included 65,694 individuals with dengue and 262,776 individuals without dengue. Patients with dengue had a significantly increased risk of acute cholecystitis (adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 60.21; 95% CI 29.11–124.54; P < 0.0001, E-value = 119.92) and acute pancreatitis (aHR 17.13; 95% CI 7.66–38.29; P < 0.0001, E-value = 33.75) within the first 30 days postinfection compared to those without dengue, but this increased risk was not present after that. The incidence rates of acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis in the first 30 days were 18.79 and 5.27 per 10,000, respectively. No increased risk of acute appendicitis was observed among patients with acute dengue infection. Conclusion: This study was the first large epidemiological study to show a significantly increased risk of acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis among patients with dengue during the acute phase of dengue infection, while no such association was observed for acute appendicitis. Early identification of acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis in patients with dengue is crucial for preventing fatal complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the gold standard for the treatment of acute cholecystitis (AC). Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) for management of AC is increasing; safe and less invasive than laparoscopic cholecystectomy and is very useful in selected patients with severe comorbidities, not suitable for surgery/general anesthesia. We conducted a retrospective observational study between 2016 and 2021 of patients treated with PC for AC, based on the application of the Tokyo guidelines 13/18. The aim was to analyse the clinical results and management of PC in patients undergoing elective or emergency cholecystectomy. Subsequently, a retrospective analytical study was designed to compare various cohorts: elective or emergency surgery and management with PC alone; patients with/without a high surgical risk; and elective vs emergency surgery. Hundred and ninety five patients with AC were treated with PC. Mean age was 74 years, 59.5% were ASA class III/IV, and the mean Charlson comorbidity index was 5.5. Adherence to Tokyo guidelines regarding indication of PC was 50.8%. The rate of complications associated to PC was 12.3% and the 90-day mortality rate was 14.4%. Mean length of time using PC was 10.7 days. Emergency surgery was performed in 4.6%. The overall success rate using PC was 66.7%, and the 1-year readmission rate due to biliary complications after PC was 28.2%. The rate of scheduled cholecystectomy after PC was 22.6%. Conversion to laparotomy and open approach was more frequent in patients who underwent emergency surgery (p = 0.009). No differences were found in 90-day mortality or in the complication rate. PC achieves improvements in the inflammation and infection associated with AC. In our series, it proved to be an effective and safe treatment during the acute episode of AC. Mortality in patients treated with PC is high due to their older age, greater morbidity, and higher Charlson comorbidity index scores. After PC, emergency surgery is uncommon but readmission due to biliary events is high. Cholecystectomy after PC is the definitive treatment and the laparoscopic approach is feasible. Clinical trial registery: The study was registered in the public accessible database clinicaltrials.gov with the ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05153031. Public release date: 12/09/2021. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The timing of cholecystectomy during acute cholecystitis (AC) is controversial, especially whether it is advisable to perform in patients with duration of symptoms between 3 and 10 days. The purpose of this study is to define clearly the sequential evolution of histological changes following symptoms onset to guide recommendations regarding timing of cholecystectomy. Methods: We identified patients with AC (2005–2018) who had cholecystectomy within 10 days of symptom onset of a first attack of AC. Histologic features of gallbladder injury including cellular and exudative inflammatory response to injury were determined on blinded pathologic slides. Results: One hundred and forty‐nine patients were divided into three groups; early—who underwent cholecystectomy 1–3 days after symptom‐onset, intermediate—4–6 days, and late—7–10 days. Key features of injury were necrosis and hemorrhage. A subgroup of patients in the early phase developed severe necrosis and hemorrhage of an extent associated with difficult cholecystectomy. Large spikes in extent of necrosis and hemorrhage occurred at 7–10 days. Major inflammatory responses to injury were eosinophilic and lymphocytic infiltration and early fibrosis. Conclusions: Severe necrosis may develop rapidly and be present in the early period after symptom onset of AC. Cholecystectomy may be reasonable in some patients but by day 7–10, severe necrosis and hemorrhage may be expected to be present in most patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this study was to determine the recurrence rate of patients who did not have interval cholecystectomy after treatment with percutaneous cholecystostomy and to investigate the factors that may affect the recurrence. Methods: Patients who did not undergo interval cholecystectomy after percutaneous cholecystostomy treatment between 2015 and 2021 were retrospectively screened for recurrence. Results: 36.3% of the patients had recurrence. Recurrence was found more frequently in patients with fever symptoms at the time of admission to the emergency department (p = 0.003). Recurrence was found to be more frequent in those who had a previous cholecystitis attack (p = 0.016). It was determined that patients with high lipase and procalcitonin levels had statistically more frequent attacks (p = 0.043, p = 0.003). It was observed that the duration of catheter insertion was longer in patients who had relapses (p = 0.019). The cut-off value for lipase was calculated as 15.5, and the cut-off value for procalcitonin as 0.955, in order to identify patients at high risk for recurrence. In the multivariate analysis for the development of recurrence, presence of fever, a history of previous cholecystitis attack, lipase value higher than 15.5 and procalcitonin value higher than 0.955 were found to be risk factors. Conclusions: Percutaneous cholecystostomy is an effective treatment method in acute cholecystitis. Insertion of the catheter within the first 24 h may reduce the recurrence rate. Recurrence is more common in the first 3 months following removal of the cholecystostomy catheter. Having a previous history of cholecystitis attack, fever symptom at the time of admission, elevated lipase and procalcitonin are risk factors for recurrence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hungarian Medical Journal / Orvosi Hetilap is the property of Akademiai Kiado and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate whether there is a relationship between blood fibrinogen levels during hospitalization of patients hospitalized for conservative treatment due to acute cholecystitis (AC) in our clinic. Patients underwent surgery and were discharged with medical treatment. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The files of 118 patients who were hospitalized due to the diagnosis of AC and planned for conservative medical treatment in our clinic between January 2018 and February 2020 were recorded, prospectively. The patients were divided into two groups as those who responded to conservative treatment (Group 1), and those who were operated urgently despite conservative treatment (Group 2). Increase in gallbladder wall thickness, presence of pericholecystic fluid and hydrops sac on ultrasound and computed tomography (CT) were considered significant for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. Blood fibrinogen levels were measured in all patients during hospitalization. RESULTS: The mean age of 118 patients included in the study was 58.32 (19-96) years. There were 77 patients in Group 1 and 41 patients in Group 2. Serum fibrinogen level was found to be 298.34±111.7 mg/dl in Group 1 and 637±124.5 mg/dl in Group 2, and a statistically significant difference was found (p<0.001). When the cut-off value for the fibrinogen level was taken as 564.50 mg/dl, the sensitivity and specificity of the test were found to be 75.6% and 61%, respectively in showing surgical treatment. CONCLUSIONS: As a result of our study, we concluded that when the data obtained are evaluated, it should be kept in mind that despite medical treatment, there is an urgent need for an operation in patients with acute cholecystitis, and in patients with high plasma fibrinogen level (cut-off) at first admission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute right upper quadrant pain is one of the most common presenting symptoms in hospital emergency departments, as well as outpatient settings. Although gallstone-related acute cholecystitis is a leading consideration in diagnosis, a myriad of extrabiliary sources including hepatic, pancreatic, gastroduodenal, and musculoskeletal should also be considered. This document focuses on the diagnostic accuracy of imaging studies performed specifically to evaluate acute right upper quadrant pain, with biliary etiologies including acute cholecystitis and its complications being the most common. An additional consideration of extrabiliary sources such as acute pancreatitis, peptic ulcer disease, ascending cholangitis, liver abscess, hepatitis, and painful liver neoplasms remain a diagnostic consideration in the right clinical setting. The use of radiographs, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, CT, and MRI for these indications are discussed. The ACR Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision include an extensive analysis of current medical literature from peer reviewed journals and the application of well-established methodologies (RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE) to rate the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where evidence is lacking or equivocal, expert opinion may supplement the available evidence to recommend imaging or treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CA19-9 is strongly expressed in malignant tumors of the digestive system and is widely used as a marker for gastrointestinal cancer. In this report, we describe a case of acute cholecystitis in which CA19-9 was markedly elevated. Case presentation: A 53-year-old man was admitted to our hospital with a diagnosis of acute cholecystitis after being referred to our hospital with a chief complaint of fever and right hypochondrial pain. CA19-9 was abnormally high at 17,539.1 U/ml. Although the possibility of malignancy was considered, there was no obvious malignant lesion on imaging; the patient was diagnosed with cholecystitis, and laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed the day after admission. The surgical specimen showed no malignant findings either grossly or in the final pathological examination. There were no complications in the patient's postoperative course, and he was discharged from the hospital on the third postoperative day. CA19-9 level quickly returned to within normal range after surgery. Conclusions: In acute cholecystitis, CA19-9 levels exceeding 10,000 U/ml are very rare. We report a case of acute cholecystitis without malignant findings despite a high CA19-9 level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute cholecystitis is the most common complication of gallstone disease, which makes timely diagnosis of this condition among the elderly, with an adequate approach to treatment, an urgent issue. The aim of the study was to investigate the peculiarities of the course of acute cholecystitis in patients treated in a surgical department. A descriptive, longitudinal, retrospective study was conducted among patients with acute cholecystitis diagnosed, treated and followed up in a surgical department. The subject of the present study were 519 patients over 70 years of age, of whom 365 underwent an abdominal or laparoscopic surgery for acute cholecystitis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. Statistical analysis software SPSS version 17, Windows XP operating system, was used for data processing. One of the main advantages of the present study is the collection of additional information on the cases of acute cholecystitis in patients over 70 years of age, for which there is limited data in the literature. The data confirm a predominance of the female gender in patients with acute cholecystitis. With increasing age, we find a decrease in the operative at the expense of the conservative surgical approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and clinical results of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PK) in the treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis (AC). Materials and Methods: All patients older than 18 years of age who underwent PC in Mehmet Akif Inan Hospital and Harran University Hospital between January 2020 and May 2022 were analyzed retrospectively. Demographic data (age and gender), comorbidities, duration of catheter removal, length of hospital stay, American Society of Anesthesia (ASA) score, interval cholecystectomy, and mortality development status of the patients were recorded. According to the severity of AC, it was divided into three grade 1 (mild), grade 2 (moderate), and grade 3 (severe). Results: Of the 130 patients included in the study, 76 (58.5%) were female, and the mean age of the patients was 71.9 (range: 36-92) years. The most common comorbidities were hypertension (n=28, 21.5%) and coronary artery disease (n=26, 20.0%). Of the patients, 70 (53.8%) had calculous cholecystitis and 115 (88.5%) had hydropic gallbladder. The ASA score of 68 (52.3%) patients was 3-4 and 14 (10.8%) were grade 3 cholecystitis. The technical success of PK was 100%. The in-hospital mortality rate was 15.4% (n=20), and the mean age of patients who died was significantly higher than those who were discharged (81.2 ± 8.5 and 70.1 ± 13.8 years, p<0.001). The rate of severe (grade 3) AC and high ASA score (ASA 3 and 4) were significantly higher in patients who developed mortality compared to those who were discharged (40% vs. 5.5%, p<0.001 vs. 80% vs. 47.3%, p=0.006; respectively). Patients who died had a longer hospital stay (median value, 28 vs 13 days; p=0.002) and a significantly higher CRP (86.2 ±23.8 vs 11.4 ± 6.4 g/dl; p=0.032). Cholecystectomy was performed in 46.2% (n=60) of the patients after PC. Conclusions: PC can be used effectively and safely in both preoperative bridging and definitive treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis. In addition, it was found that the advanced age of the patients who underwent PC, had a high ASA score due to comorbidity diseases, and the presence of severe cholecystitis increased mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoscopic gallbladder drainage is a feasible and efficacious alternative to percutaneous drainage in the management of acute cholecystitis for high-risk surgical candidates. Endoscopic ultrasound–guided gallbladder drainage and per-oral cholecystoscopy is facilitated by the use of lumen-apposing metal stents. Endoscopic ultrasound–guided gallbladder drainage should be performed by those expert in advanced therapeutic endoscopic ultrasound. Multidisciplinary collaboration between interventional radiology and surgery is paramount in the care of these patients. Choosing the optimal drainage method is dependent on individual patient characteristics. This commentary was drawn from a review of the literature to provide practical advice. Because this was not a systematic review, we did not perform any formal rating of the quality of evidence or strength of the presented considerations. This expert commentary was commissioned and approved by the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA) Institute Clinical Practice Updates Committee and the AGA Governing Board to provide timely guidance on a topic of high clinical importance to the AGA membership, and underwent internal peer-review by the Clinical Practice Updates Committee and external peer-review through standard procedures of Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Purpose: We evaluated the difficulty score of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis (AC) proposed in the Tokyo guidelines 2018 (TG18) and analyzed the most appropriate scoring method. Methods: We reviewed 127 patients who underwent LC for AC from January 2018 to March 2022. According to TG18, surgical difficulty was scored for five categories consisting of 25 intraoperative findings. The median, highest, and mean score of the five categories were analyzed for their association with surgical outcomes. Results: The difficulty score distribution (0/1/2/3/4/5/6) was as follows: median (8/34/43/30/12/0/0), highest (1/1/32/42/36/15/0) and mean (19/49/49/10/0/0/0). In all three scoring methods, higher difficulty scores were significantly correlated with longer operative time, more blood loss, and higher occurrence of subtotal cholecystectomy in trend tests. The areas under the curve (AUCs) for prediction of prolonged operative time minutes and increased blood loss were similar in all three scoring methods. For conversion to subtotal cholecystectomy, the AUC was significantly better for the highest than median and mean score (p =.015 and p =.002, respectively). Conclusions: The difficulty score in TG18 appropriately reflects the surgical difficulty of LC for AC. The median, highest, and mean scores of the five categories are all available, and the highest scores are simple and versatile. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Turkish Journal of Trauma & Emergency Surgery / Ulusal Travma ve Acil Cerrahi Dergisi is the property of KARE Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Background and Aim: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage as a bridge to surgery in patients with acute cholecystitis unfit for urgent cholecystectomy. Methods: This retrospective study included 46 patients who underwent cholecystectomy following endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD) or percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) for acute cholecystitis in NTT Tokyo Medical Center. We surveyed 35 patients as the EUS-GBD group and 11 patients as the PTGBD group, and compared the rate of technical success of the cholecystectomy and periprocedural adverse events. A 7-F, 10-cm double pigtail plastic stent was used for ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage. Results: The rate of technical success of cholecystectomy was 100% in both groups. Regarding postsurgical adverse events, no significant difference was noted between the two groups (EUS-GBD group, 11.4%, vs. PTGBD group, 9.0%; p = 0.472). Conclusions: EUS-GBD as a BTS seems to be an alternative for patients with AC because it can ensure lower adverse events. On the other hand, there are two major limitations in this study––the sample size is small and there is a risk of selection bias. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess the utilisation and diagnostic accuracy of biliary point‐of‐care ultrasounds (POCUS) performed and archived in a single New Zealand ED. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of clinically indicated biliary POCUS, archived from 1 October 2019 to 20 May 2020. POCUS interpretation was compared to expert review and radiology imaging when available. The clinician interpretations, diagnostic imaging results and surgical referrals were extracted from electronic medical records. Archived POCUS images were retrospectively reviewed by an expert to determine diagnostic quality, sonographic findings and imaging errors. Results: A total of 133 ultrasounds were included; 118 (90%) archived images were of diagnostic quality. The presence or absence of gallstones was documented in 124 (93%), and other sonographic findings were less consistently documented. There was almost perfect agreement with expert review for gallstones (κ = 0.82, 95% confidence interval 0.72–0.93) and substantial agreement for wall thickening (κ = 0.63, 95% confidence interval 0.42–0.83). For patients discharged following negative POCUS without radiology imaging or surgical review no patients returned and received a diagnosis of cholecystitis over 6 months of follow‐up. Imaging errors included failure to visualise the gallbladder neck, misinterpretation of artefacts and technical errors in measurement of the gallbladder wall. Conclusion: Biliary POCUS was primarily utilised for and was accurate for the detection of gallstones. Further quality assurance and training could be directed at earlier credentialing to address technical errors and improved documentation of POCUS findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute cholecystitis and some conditions associated with gallbladder stones, such as depressed common bile duct stones, cholangitis, and biliary pancreatitis, are common diseases in daily practice. Early cholecystectomy or placement of a drain, a procedure with delayed cholecystectomy, is the current standard of care based on published clinical guidelines. Chronic diffuse liver disease is not only a state of chronic liver dysfunction, but also has systemic effects in patients. In individuals with Chronic diffuse liver disease, several predisposing factors, including changes in bile acid composition, increased bile nucleation, and decreased gallbladder motility, contribute to the formation of gallstones and the possibility of symptomatic cholelithiasis, which is an indication for surgical treatment. In addition to these predisposing factors for gallstone disease, the systemic effects and local anatomical consequences associated with Chronic diffuse liver disease, in particular liver cirrhosis, lead to anesthetic risks and perioperative complications in patients with liver cirrhosis. Therefore, the treatment of the aforementioned biliary conditions in patients with liver cirrhosis has become a challenging task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Bailout surgery (BOS; partial cholecystectomy, open conversion, and fundus-first approach) has been recommended for difficult cases to ensure safe performance of cholecystectomy. However, the efficacy of BOS for preventing intraoperative massive bleeding and bile duct injury (BDI) remains unclear, especially in the context of acute cholecystitis (AC). This study aimed to retrospectively validate the feasibility of BOS for AC. Methods: We enrolled 479 patients who underwent emergency cholecystectomies for AC between 2011 and 2021. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to detect the risk factors for BOS in patients with AC. Perioperative variables were compared between patients who underwent total cholecystectomy (TC) and those who underwent BOS. Propensity score matching analysis was performed to compare the two groups. Results: Significant differences in American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status and Charlson Comorbidity Index scores, TG18 severity grading, white blood cell count, and albumin and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were found between the TC and BOS groups. Preoperative CT imaging demonstrated severe inflammation evidenced by gallbladder wall thickness, enhancement of the liver bed, and duodenal edema in the BOS group compared to the TC group. Postoperative complications were significantly higher in the BOS group than in the TC group. Further, BDI was completely prevented by BOS. Multivariate analysis identified TG18 grade ≥ II, CRP ≥ 7.7, and duodenal edema as independent risk factors for BOS. After PSM analysis, postoperative complications were not worse in patients who underwent BOS rather than TC. Among BOS procedures, laparoscopic BOS (lap-BOS) was the most efficacious in preventing intraoperative blood loss and postoperative bile leakage. Conclusion: Severity grading > II, elevated CRP levels, or duodenum edema revealed by CT were determined to be risk factors impeding total cholecystectomy. BOS is a safe, feasible, and efficacious procedure for preventing BDI. Among BOS procedures, lap-BOS showed better postoperative outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Acute cholecystitis is the most common causes of acute abdomen in elderly population. This study aimed to present the early postoperative period (≤ 30 days) outcomes of elderly patients (≥ 65 years old) with acute cholecystitis who underwent early or delayed cholecystectomy. Materials and Methods: Between January 2016 and December 2020, 74 patients aged 65 and over underwent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis were included in the study. The patients were divided into two groups as early (time between diagnosis and cholecystectomy 7 days or less, n= 43, 58.1%) or delayed (time between diagnosis and cholecystectomy over 7 days, n= 31, 41.9%) cholecystectomy. Demographic characteristics, preoperative laboratory and radiological findings, and perioperative data of patients were evaluated, and the groups were compared. Results: The median age of patients was 73 (65-90) years, and 39 (52.7%) were male. Sixty-one (82.4%) patients underwent laparoscopic, 8 open (10.8%) and 5 (6.8%) conversion cholecystectomy. The rate of laparoscopic cholecystectomy was higher in the delayed group (n= 29, 93.5%) than in the early group (n= 32, 74.4%), but no statistically significant difference was detected (p=.06). The rate of open cholecystectomy was statistically significantly higher in the early group (n=8, 18.6%) than in the delayed group (n=0) (P=.017), the conversion rate was similar between the groups (p=1). There was no significant difference between the groups in terms of intraoperative complications (p=1). The length of hospital stay was statistically significantly longer in the early compared to the delayed group (5 (1-21) days and 2 (1-12) days, respectively, p< .001). Conclusion: There was no statistical difference regarding intraoperative complications in patients underwent early or delayed cholecystectomy. We believe that the patient’s clinical presentation and early or delayed cholecystectomy experience of the team are vital in determining the timing of cholecystectomy, as well as the severity of acute cholecystitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Early diagnosis of common bile duct stone (CBDS) is crucial since its presence affects surgical therapy and acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) has a comparable clinical picture whether or not a CBDS is present. Aim At the time of hospital admission, we sought to discover predictors of CBD stones in acute cholecystitis (AC) patients. Methods Between January 2020 and December 2022, we chose 90 patients who had typical ACC and had previously visited the emergency room at Minia University Hospital in Egypt. The 90 AC patients were split into two groups: the 63 AC patients without CBD stones and the 27 AC patients with CBD stones. The data were obtained and compared between the two groups include gender, age, history of chronic calcular cholecystitis (CCC), white blood cells (WBC), liver function tests (LFT), and common bile duct (CBD) diameter. Results By using simple logistic regression analysis for prediction of CBD stones, old age > 55 years, CBD diameter more than 6mmand elevated liver functions including total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase (SGPT), serum glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase (SGOT), alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) was associated with CBD stones. By using multiple logistic regression analysis, only 2 variable showing significant association with CBD stones, including old age > 55 years (P=0.013, odds ratio 9.26, confidence interval 1.6--53.61) and direct bilirubin (P=0.008, Odds ratio 55.67, confidence interval 2.89--1072.35). Conclusion Age, abnormal LFTs greater than twofold, and dilated CBD >6mm in AC patients increase the likelihood of concurrent CBDS. Knowing about these results might assist physicians develop clinical suspicions for an earlier diagnosis and improved management of CBDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To analyse the outcome of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in acute cholecystitis. Material and method: The present prospective observational study was conducted in the department of General Surgery for a period of one year, after obtaining ethical clearance from institutional committee. Our study included a total of 150 patients fulfilling exclusion and inclusion criteria and who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The patient who gave consent, were enrolled only for study. Operation time from onset of procedure (i.e. time since incision was given) to closure of wound, intraoperative finding and intra operative complications were recorded. After surgery postoperative complications and duration of hospital stay was noted. After the patient is discharged they were followed up for post operative findings on day of discharge, day of suture removal and day 14. The findings noted down for the patients were studied and analysed at the end of study according to standard statistical methods and conclusions were made. Results: Dissection of Calot's Triangle was found to be easy and difficult in 83.33% and 16.67% of the subjects respectively. Intraoperative complications viz. bile duct injury, stone spillage and GB bed bleed was found among 2%, 12.67% and 3.33% of the subjects respectively. Blood loss <50ml, >50ml was reported among 89.33% and 10.67% of the subjects respectively. Mean post-op pain (hours), duration of hospital stay (days) and return to work (days) among the study subjects was 17.08±3.19, 2.01±0.17 and 2.98±0.39 respectively. Post-operative complications viz. wound infection, abdominal infection, postoperative ileus, pulmonary complications and fever was found among 3.33%, 2%, 5.33%, 4% and 4% of the subjects respectively. Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is an effective and safe technique of treating symptomatic gallstones even in cases of acute cholecystitis because of accelerated recovery coupled with less postoperative pain and short hospital stay & early return to work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The study aims to evaluate and compare the clinical outcomes of early and delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis. Material and Methods: Thirty patients, with acute cholecystitis, who had undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy were studied. The patients were deemed to have undergone early laparoscopic cholecystectomy if they had their surgery within 72 hours of the initial presentation of the symptoms. All those patients, who underwent the surgery after 4 weeks, were considered to be in the delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. Results: The early and delayed groups had 19 and 11 patients respectively. The overall occurrence of intraoperative complications was found to be similar in both groups. It was 84.2% in the early laparoscopic cholecystectomy group, and in comparison, it was 90.9% in the delayed group. Major bleeding in the early group was 21.1% and that of the delayed group was 18.2%. The bile and gallstone spillage, in our study, among the early and delayed groups were 47.4% and 72.7% respectively. In our study, the drain requirement in the delayed group was 63.6%, while it was 52.6%, in the early group. The duration of surgery on average was 140.5 minutes in the early group when compared to 95.5 minutes in the delayed group. Conclusion: There were no statistically significant differences in the outcomes of early and delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis regarding complications. Duration of surgery was more and length of hospital stay less in early group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cancellations of surgeries for elective cases and late admissions of symptomatic cases during the pandemic period might have increased the number of cases of acute cholecystitis and its complications. Purpose: To compare the severity of acute cholecystitis and complication rates during the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Material and Methods: We evaluated the computed tomography (CT) findings observed for the diagnosis of complications for both acute simple and acute complicated cholecystitis during both the pandemic and pre-pandemic periods. Patients admitted to the hospital between March 2020 and December 2020 made up the study group and the corresponding appropriate patients from one year earlier were studied as the control group. In addition to the CT findings, clinical and laboratory findings, co-morbidities such as diabetes, as well as the admission time to hospital from the onset of the initial symptoms to hospital admission were also evaluated. Results: A total of 88 patients were evaluated (54 in the study group, 34 in the control group; mean age = 64.3 ± 16.3 years). The male-to-female ratio was 51/37. The number of patients diagnosed with complicated cholecystitis were significantly higher in the study group (P = 0.03). Murphy finding and diabetes status were similar between the two groups (P = 0.086 and P = 0.308, respectively). Admission time to the hospital was significantly different for study and control groups in simple cholecystitis patients (P = 0.045); with no significant difference in cases of complicated cholecystitis (P = 0.499). Conclusion: Our study reveals the course of acute cholecystitis during the pandemic period was much more serious with higher complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]