Potentially preventable causes of mortality in acute calculous cholecystitis: a population-based study

Abstract

To analyze potentially preventable causes of mortality from acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) at the population level. A retrospective study of causes of ACC-related mortality was conducted. We used online survey of state hospitals and estimated fatal outcomes following ACC considering appropriate annual e-database. There were 1.500 deaths among 142.975 patients aged ≥18 years with acute cholecystitis. We received responses to the proposed questionnaire about 1154 deaths (76.9%). Analysis included 648 cases of ACC (K80.0). Mean age of patients was 76.0 years (31-100). There were 256 (39.5%) men and 392 (60.5%) women. ACC severity was assessed according to the Tokyo guidelines (2018). Mild (I) degree was noted in 24 (3.7%) cases, moderate (II) - 270 (41.7%), severe (III) - 354 (54.6%) patients. Cardiovascular diseases and complications caused death in mild ACC regardless of treatment method in 16 (66.7%) cases, in moderate ACC - 106 (39.3%), in severe ACC - 97 (27.4%) cases. ACC caused death in 3 (12.5%) patients with mild disease, 111 (41.1%) with moderate disease and 200 (56.5%) ones with severe disease. Postoperative complications caused death in 4 (16.7%) patients with mild disease, 29 (10.7%) ones with moderate disease and 30 (8.5%) patients with severe disease. Other causes comprised 4.1% (n=1), 8.9% (n=24) and 7.6% (n=27), respectively. Potentially preventable causes of death were identified in 33.0% of cases. ACC-related mortality is mainly associated with comorbidity in elderly and senile patients, late presentation and complicated course of disease. Delayed surgical treatment due to diagnostic and tactical problems, as well as technical intraoperative errors is potentially preventable causes of death.