English

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Chronic calculous cholecystitis is the most common benign disease affecting the gallbladder, frequently occurring condition in the middle aged female population. Cholecystectomy has been the gold standard as opposed to the various conservative methods of management and has shown better results in the literature. This study aims to look at the demographics, operative morbidity and pathology of the removed gallbladder in the local population. METHODS: This is a prospective study in which 50 patients presenting with clinical features of chronic cholecystitis to the hospital attached to the medical College, in the local population of Davangere, were investigated with ultrasound to correlate the diagnosis of chronic calculous cholecystitis and thence were included in the study. Their demographic data, symptomatology and associated illness were documented. All were subjected to cholecystectomy, the gallbladder was sent for histopathological examination and gallstones for biochemical analysis. RESULTS: The highest age incidence of chronic calculous cholecystitis was in the 5 th decade, more common in females, majority with pain abdomen. 70% of the patients belonged to middle class and 84% consumed mixed diet. 10% of the cases showed wound infection in the open cholecystectomy group and 2% of cases had bile leak in laparoscopic cholecystectomy group. The average duration of post operative stay was 6.9 and 4.9 days for open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy group respectively. On histopathological examination, size of the gallbladder was normal in 58% of cases and degree of inflammation was moderate in 52% of cases. 60% of the gallstones were of pigment type. INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSION: The result showed chronic calculous cholecystitis was more common in females, in the 5 th decade. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy reduced the hospital stay and was associated with lesser post operative morbidity. Majority of the gall bladder specimens showed moderate degree of inflammation on histopathological examination and pigment stones were the most common type.