Patients Undergoing Emergency Cholecystectomy Research Articles

O196: Gallbladder Necrosis: Predictive Factors in Patients Undergoing Emergent Cholecystectomy

Abstract Introduction Gallstones are present in up to 25% of the general population and approximately 2% of these become symptomatic. Gallbladder necrosis is a complication of gallstones associated with higher risks of morbidity and mortality. Identification of risk factors which portend to gallbladder necrosis is key in prioritising investigation and treatment for higher risk patients. Method A retrospective review of all patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy in a tertiary hospital over a 2-year period was performed. Gallbladder necrosis was diagnosed on histopathological examination of operative specimens. Multivariable logistic regression was performed to determine risk factors for gallbladder necrosis. Results 152 patients underwent acute cholecystectomy and 44 (29%) had proven gallbladder necrosis. Multivariable model demonstrated that white cell count (WCC) (OR 1.122, 95% CI 1.031-1.221, p=0.007), C-reactive protein (CRP) (OR 1.004, 95% CI 1.001-1.008, p=0.022) and smoking status (OR 5.724, 95% CI 1.323-24.754, p=0.020) were independently predictive of gallbladder necrosis. Notably, advancing age, elevated BMI, diabetes mellitus or ASA grade were not found to be associated with developing necrosis. Conclusion Patients at risk of gallbladder necrosis include those with higher WCC, CRP and active smokers. Given the increased potential complications, these risk factors should be identified early in the management of those admitted with gallstone disease to ensure such patients receive aggressive medical therapy alongside timely and guided surgical intervention.

OGBN P27 Outcome of specialist-led urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallstone disease at a London District General Hospital

Abstract Background Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the mainstay for treatment of symptomatic gallstones and its associated complications. Emergency cholecystectomy rates in the United Kingdom (UK) remain low despite NICE guidelines recommendations to offer surgery within 7 days for acute cholecystitis and index cholecystectomy for mild gallstone pancreatitis. We analysed our data over last 10 years to assess the safety and feasibility of providing an emergency cholecystectomy service in a London District general Hospital with a specialist Upper Gastrointestinal / hepatobiliary consultant workforce in line with NICE guidelines. Methods Data of 663 consecutive patients undergoing index admission emergency cholecystectomy during 2013-2023 from a prospectively maintained database was reviewed. Patient demographics, duration of hospital stay, complications, need for further interventions and re-admission rates were collected and analysed. Results Six hundred and sixty-three consecutive patients underwent emergency cholecystectomy gallstone disease and associated complications. The conversion rate was 5.2% (n=35). The median time from presentation to surgery was 2 days (Range 0-63), overall length of stay was 6 days (Range 1-91), and post-procedure stay was 2 days (Range 1-89). Overall complication rate was 7% (n=45), bile leak was observed in 8 patients (1.2%) with no evidence of major biliary injury. One patient had postoperative haemorrhage requiring laparotomy (No bleeder identified) (grade IVa) and 1 patient died within 90 days for reasons unrelated to the operation. The re-admission rate was 10.2%. Conclusions Index admission emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy in district general hospitals is feasible and safe when performed by a specialist consultant workforce, leading to compliance to guidelines and a low rate of complications and readmissions to hospital.

A Predictive Tool for Choledocholithiasis in Patients Undergoing Emergency Cholecystectomy.

Background: Management of acute cholecystitis with emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been established; however, detection and management of concurrent choledocholithiasis are debated. The aim of this study is to develop a more accurate choledocholithiasis predictive model. Materials and Methods: A 9-year audit of emergency cholecystectomies and evaluation of preoperative factors in predictive models. Receiver Operating Curve (ROC) analysis/Youdon Index was used to identify thresholds maximizing these associations for continuous variables. Results: 1601/1828 patients were analyzed. Patients who were diagnosed with choledocholithiasis were more likely to be febrile on admission, have a higher C-reactive Protein, and higher median bilirubin (25.0 μmol/L versus 11.0 μmol/L, P < .001). When excluding bilirubin, multivariate analysis detected several significant variables, including fever, biliary tree dilatation, or a common bile duct stone seen on ultrasound. When bilirubin was included into the model, bilirubin of 20-39 μmol/L (odds ratio [OR] 2.44, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.74-3.44) and ≥40 μmol/L (OR 4.84, 95% CI: 3.40-6.91) were shown to have increased likelihood of choledocholithiasis detection on intraoperative cholangiogram, with the ROC model having a significant C-statistic of 0.796 (P < .001). Discussion: A perfect predictive model for concurrent choledocholithiasis in acute cholecystitis does not exist; however, the results from this study are encouraging that high and low predictive groups can be established.

The impact of obesity on outcomes in patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

BackgroundObesity is a perceived risk factor for poorer surgical outcomes, including increased complication rates and mortality. As obesity rates rise annually, evaluating surgical outcomes in the obese population has become increasingly important. This study examines the impact of obesity on outcomes following emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis.MethodsA retrospective review of patients who underwent emergency LC for acute cholecystitis between March 2018 and March 2021 was performed. A total of 326 patients were included and stratified by body mass index (BMI) into two groups: obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2, n = 156) and non‐obese (BMI <30 kg/m2, n = 170). Primary outcomes included length of stay, time to definitive surgery, and postoperative complications. Secondary outcomes included total operative time and intraoperative findings.ResultsObese patients were younger than non‐obese patients (median, 45 [34.3–56.8] and 48.5 [34.0–66.3] years; p < 0.001) and had a higher prevalence of diabetes (13.5% versus 6.5%; p = 0.034). Higher American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification (p < 0.001) and operative grading scores were observed in the obese group (76.3% versus 40.6%, p < 0.001), who were more likely to have a distended gallbladder (19.9% versus 11.2%, p = 0.030) and gallstone impaction (23.1% versus 11.8%, p = 0.007) in comparison to the non‐obese group. Length of hospital stay, time to definitive surgery, and postoperative complication rates were similar between groups.ConclusionAlthough obesity is associated with greater technical difficulty during surgery than non‐obese patients, similar postoperative outcomes were achieved. Obesity should not be a contraindication for LC and can be safely performed in the emergency setting.

O-EGS04 Is group and save necessary for all patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy: A 6-year retrospective audit

Abstract Background Emergency cholecystectomy (EC) has a low perioperative bleeding risk. There is no current national guideline to suggest routine preoperative Group and Save (G&amp;S) is necessary. Our Trust guideline recommends preoperative G&amp;S for all EC operations. In 2018, a Trust-wide policy was adopted based on an audit, which concluded that routine preoperative G&amp;S is unnecessary for elective cholecystectomy. All G&amp;S require 2samples taken separately, which can delay surgery. The cost to process one sample for G&amp;S is £28. Therefore, a study was set up to assess the need for routine G&amp;S in patients undergoing EC. Methods This retrospective observational study was based on a prospectively collected hospital database from March 2015 to March 2021 using MS-Excel. All patients who underwent EC (laparoscopic and/or open) within 10 days during index admission were included. All elective cholecystectomies were excluded. Patients were divided into GS-patients (patients with G&amp;S) and NGS-patients (patients without G&amp;S). The primary outcome is the difference between the incidence of ‘Perioperative blood transfusion’ (PBT) between the studied groups. The overall cost-effectiveness is considered as a secondary outcome. The categorical data were analysed using the Chi-square test; a p-value &amp;lt;0.05 is considered statistically significant. Results In this 6year period, 2210patients underwent cholecystectomy. Of these, 496patients (22.4%) who underwent EC were included. 447patients (90.1%) were in GS group and 49patients (9.9%) were in the NGS group. None from the NGS group required PBT, whereas 3patients (0.6%) in the GS group received blood transfusion. However, PBT was truly indicated in 1patient due to the associated cardiovascular comorbidities. On the contrary, 2patients did not fit the ‘restrictive transfusion threshold’ criteria of JPAC. There was no statistically significant difference in PBT requirement between the studied groups (p = 0.331). Deferring routine G&amp;S for EC could have saved our institution £24,976. Conclusions Our study has demonstrated that preoperative G&amp;S is not indicated for all emergency cholecystectomies. It takes approximately 1 hour for G&amp;S to be processed unless crossmatching is required. Group O-negative or O-positive blood can be provided to patients when urgent blood transfusion is needed depending on their age and gender. Thus, we conclude that G&amp;S should be restricted to patients with low preoperative haemoglobin, bleeding and clotting disorders, those known to have abnormal blood antibodies and significant cardiovascular comorbidities.

P-EGS22 Emergency cholecystectomy: A comparative study of patient outcomes during COVID-19 pandemic with pre-COVID-19 period

BackgroundEmergency cholecystectomy is recommended for all acute admissions with symptomatic gall stones. The Royal College of Surgeons and AUGIS on 25th March 2020 recommended that all laparoscopic procedures should be avoided during the COVID-19 pandemic with the view to minimise the risk of virus transmission from aerosol-generating procedures. This retrospective study compares the outcomes of patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy during the COVID-19 period with the pre-COVID-19 period.MethodsAll patients who underwent emergency cholecystectomy (EC) from March 2019 to March 2021 were included. ‘Pre-COVID-19’ period was defined as 25th March 2019 to 24th March 2020, whereas the ‘COVID-19’ period was from 25th March 2020 to 24th March 2021. Mortality was considered as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include the 30-day postoperative complications based on the Calvien-Dindo classification (CDC) and the length of stay (LOS). Mortality and postoperative complications were assessed using the Chi-squared test, whilst LOS was studied using the Mann-Whitney U test. A p-value of < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsA total of 143patients underwent EC during the 24-month study period (75patients pre-COVID-19 and 68patients during COVID-19). The 30-day mortality was nil. 9patients;12% in pre-COVID-19 period and 11patients;16% in COVID-19 period underwent conversion to open cholecystectomy (p = 0.47). 18patients;24% from pre-COVID-19 and 19patients;27.9% from COVID-19 periods developed postoperative complications (p = 0.59). Grade-2-CDC complications were seen in 12patients;17.6% during COVID-19 period and 5patients;6.7% in pre-COVID-19 period (p = 0.0043). However, grade-3,4 CDC complications requiring intervention (p = 0.39), and ICU-admission (p = 0.62) were comparable in both periods. 1patient developed COVID-19 infection but made a full recovery. Mean LOS was 6-days in both periods, with no statistical difference (p = 0.28).ConclusionsThis study demonstrated no significant difference in patient outcomes who underwent emergency cholecystectomy during the COVID-19 pandemic compared to the pre-COVID-19 period. Emergency cholecystectomy should be offered to all surgically fit patients with symptomatic gall stones.

SP6.1.6 Rule of systematic intraoperative cholangiogram in patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy

Abstract Aims Incidence of gall stone disease is estimated at 10-15%of population. Intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) diagnose choledocholithiasis, delineates the anatomy of the biliary ducts, facilitate the dissection and reduces injuries. Our aim is to assess the feasibility and role of IOC and the incidence of choledocholithiasis in acute cholecystitis (ACC). Methods Retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data for patients admitted with ACC and undergoing same-hospital-stay laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). IOC was systematically attempted in all cases. Results 475cases included. Female to male ratio1.9:1. Conversion to open was done in 3 cases. Preoperative cholelithiasis was confirmed in 439cases versus 34cases with no stones. USS CBD abnormality (dilated or contain stone) found in 53 cases, out of which 8(15%) cases had CBD stones. Jaundice was found in 69cases, where 25(39%) cases had confirmed choledocholithiasis. IOC was successful in all cases except one. Abnormal IOC was found in 99(21%) cases. Of those; CBD stones were confirmed in 76 (77%) cases regardless the presence of cholelithisasis on USS. Empyema was found in 237 cases and it was associated with higher risk of abnormal IOC in 59(25%) cases where CBD stones were confirmed in 45(76%) cases. Cystic duct (CD) stones found in 80cases, of those 27(34%)cases had choledocholithiasis. Conclusions Females have double the risk of ACC. Preoperative jaundice and CD stones are stronger indicators than CBD diameter for presence of choledocholithiasis. The incidence of choledocholithiasis in ACC is (20-25%) regardless the presence of gall stones on USS. IOC is feasible and highly recommended in emergency LC.

The impact of COVID-19 and social avoidance in urgent and emergency surgeries - will a delay in diagnosis result in perioperative complications?

The sudden COVID-19 outbreak has changed our health system. Physicians had to face the challenge of treating a large number of critically ill patients with a new disease and also maintain the essential healthcare services functioning properly. To prevent disease dissemination, authorities instructed people to stay at home and seek medical care only if they experienced respiratory distress. However, there are concerns those patients did not seek necessary health care because of these orientations. This study aims to see how the pandemic has influenced the severity of the disease, complication, and mortality of patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy and appendectomy. Retrospective review of medical records of patients admitted to the emergency department and undergoing to cholecystectomy and appendicectomy in the periods from March to May 2019 and 2020. We observed that COVID-19 did not change the severity of presentation or the outcome of patients with gallbladder disease, but caused a 24.2% increase in the prevalence of complicated appendicitis (p<0.05). However, disagreeing with what was expected, we did not identify a greater number of perioperative complications in patients undergoing an appendectomy. Therefore, it seems that in a university tertiary referral center COVID-19 did not influence the management and outcome of inflammatory diseases treated in the surgical emergency department.

Complicated Acute Cholecystitis: The Role of C-Reactive Protein and Neutrophil-Lymphocyte Ratio as Predictive Markers of Severity.

ObjectivesThe clinical diagnosis of complicated acute cholecystitis (CAC) remains difficult with several pathological or ultrasonography criteria used to differentiate it from uncomplicated acute cholecystitis (UAC). This study aims to evaluate the use of combined inflammatory markers C-reactive protein (CRP) and neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) as surrogate markers to differentiate between UAC and CAC.MethodsWe identified 600 consecutive patients admitted with biliary symptoms during an acute surgical take from our electronic prospectively maintained database over a period of 55 months. Only patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy performed during the index admission were included. The primary outcome was the finding of CAC versus UAC.ResultsA total of 176 patients underwent emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) during the index admission, including 118 (67%) females with a median age of 51 years (range: 21-97 years). The proportion of UAC (130 [74%]) and CAC (46 [26%]) was determined along with demographic data. Multivariate regression analysis showed that patient’s age (OR=1.047; p=0.003), higher CRP (OR=1.005; p=0.012) and NLR (OR=1.094; p=0.047) were significant independent factors associated with severity of cholecystitis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis for CRP showed an AUC (area under the curve) of 0.773 (95% CI: 0.698- 0.849). Using a cut-off value of 55 mg/L for CRP, the sensitivity of CAC was 73.9% and specificity was 73.1% in predicting CAC. The median post-operative length of stay was four days. The conversion rate from laparoscopic cholecystectomy to open surgery was 2% (4/176), and 5% (9/176) patients suffered post-operative complications with no mortality at 30 days.ConclusionCRP, NLR and age were independent factors associated with the severity of acute cholecystitis. NLR and CRP can be used as surrogate markers to predict patients at risk of CAC during emergency admission, which can inform future guidelines. Moreover, ELC for CAC can be safely performed under the supervision of dedicated upper GI surgeons.

Prognostic Factors Associated with Hospital Stay in Patients Undergoing Emergency Cholecystectomy: Retrospective Cohort Study

Pinillos Navarro, Pilar C. MD; Martínez Martínez, Jorge A. MD; Junca, Edgar G. MD; Patiño, Andrés F. MD; Moyano, Juan S. MD; Bernal, Ginna M. MD; Paneso, Juan E. MD; Castro, Camilo A. MD; Baquero, Romar MD; Buitrago, Giancarlo MD Author Information

An Acute General Surgical Unit (AGSU) Negates the Impact of the Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) Diagnostic Criteria for the Treatment of Acute Cholecystitis.

The Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) were developed to aid diagnosis and treatment for acute cholecystitis. The benefits of being treated in an acute general surgical unit (AGSU) include earlier diagnosis and treatment. This study aims to define the usefulness of TG18 before and after the introduction of AGSU. Patients who underwent cholecystectomy at Northern Health were audited retrospectively and assessed for TG18 diagnostic criteria and outcomes between 1 February 2012 and 1 February 2014 (one-year pre- and post-AGSU). Five hundred and eighty-seven patients underwent emergency cholecystectomy with 203 (34.6%) patients having a suspected diagnosis, and 234 (39.9%) patients with a definitive diagnosis of acute cholecystitis using TG18 diagnostic criteria. After the introduction of AGSU, time from imaging to operation improved from 2.5 to 1.7days (p = 0.012). There were more operations occurring during in-hours following AGSU implementation (75.8% vs. 62.7%, p < 0.001). Maximum pre-operative CRP of >26.6mg/L had a higher likelihood of Clavien-Dindo complication grade 3 or 4 (OR 3.86, 95%CI 1.18-12.63, p = 0.027) compared with TG18 definitive diagnosis criteria (OR 1.50, 95%CI 0.46-4.91, p = 0.501). Surprisingly, there was a trend towards higher complications and readmissions for patients operated within 24h, although this trend was not significant. Patients with suspected acute cholecystitis should be stratified clinically and with CRP in an AGSU with TG18 adding little value in a busy metropolitan unit.

Optimum timing of emergency cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in England: population-based cohort study

BackgroundCholecystectomy on index admission for acute cholecystitis is associated with improved patient outcomes. The timing of intervention is mainly driven by service provision. This population-based cohort study aimed to evaluate timing of emergency cholecystectomy in England.MethodsData from all consecutive patients undergoing surgery for acute cholecystitis on index admission in England from 1997 to 2012 were captured from the Hospital Episodes Statistics database. Data were analysed based on whether patients underwent surgery 0–3 days, 4–7 days or ≥ 8 days from admission. Outcome measures were rate of post-operative biliary complications, conversion to open and length of stay.ResultsForty-three thousand eight hundred and seventy patients underwent emergency cholecystectomy. 64.6% of patients underwent surgery between days 0 and 3 of admission, 24.3% between days 4–7 and 11.0% had surgery after day 8. Patients undergoing early surgery had significantly reduced rates of intra-operative laparoscopic conversion to open (0–3 days: 3.6%; 4–7 days: 4.0%; ≥ 8 days 4.7%, p = 0.001), post-operative ERCP (0–3 days: 1.1%; 4–7 days: 1.5%; ≥ 8 days 1.9%, p < 0.001) and bile duct injury (0–3 days: 0.6%; 4–7 days: 1.0%; ≥ 8 days 1.8%, p < 0.001). Early cholecystectomy was also associated with a shorter post-operative length of stay (LOS) [0–3 days group: median post-operative LOS 3 days (IQR: 1–6); 4–7 days group: 3 days (IQR 2–6); ≥ 8 days group: 4 days (IQR 2–9) (p < 0.001)]. High-volume centres undertook a significantly greater proportion of cholecystectomies within 3 days of presentation (high-volume: 67.3%; medium-volume: 64.8%; low-volume: 61.2%). In multivariate analysis greater time to surgery was independently associated with increased risk of post-operative ERCP and bile duct injury.ConclusionsEarly cholecystectomy within 3 days of admission reduces intra-operative conversion, post-operative biliary complications and length of stay. Centres undertaking the greatest numbers of emergency cholecystectomies perform a larger proportion within 3 days of admission.

Extended Postoperative Antibiotics Versus No Postoperative Antibiotics in Patients Undergoing Emergency Cholecystectomy for Acute Calculous Cholecystitis: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Objectives. To compare the outcomes of extended postoperative antibiotics versus no postoperative antibiotics in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis undergoing emergency cholecystectomy. Methods. We performed a systematic review and conducted a search of electronic information sources to identify all randomized controlled trials comparing outcomes of extended postoperative antibiotics versus no postoperative antibiotics in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis undergoing emergency cholecystectomy. Postoperative infectious complications and surgical site infections were primary outcome measures. The secondary outcome measures included postoperative morbidity, postoperative noninfectious complications, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, length of hospital stay, postoperative mortality, and need for readmission. Random or fixed effects modeling was applied to calculate pooled outcome data. Results. Four randomized controlled trials enrolling 953 patients were identified. The included populations in the extended antibiotic group and no antibiotic group were comparable in terms of baseline characteristics. There was no difference between the 2 groups in terms of postoperative infectious complications (odds ratio [OR] =0.94, P = .79), surgical site infections (OR = 1.13, P = .72), postoperative morbidity (OR = 0.93, P = .70), postoperative noninfectious complications (OR = 0.85, P = .57), urinary tract infections (OR = 0.69, P = .55), pneumonia (OR = 0.33, P = .14), length of hospital stay (mean difference = 0.78, P = .25), postoperative mortality (risk difference = -0.00, P = .65), and need for readmission (OR = 0.87, P = .70). Conclusions. Our results suggest that extended postoperative antibiotic therapy does not improve postoperative infectious or noninfectious outcomes in patients with mild or moderate acute calculous cholecystitis undergoing emergency cholecystectomy. Postoperative antibiotics should not be routinely used and should be preserved only for selected cases.

Impact of antiplatelet therapy on increased blood loss and bleeding complication in patients undergoing urgent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis

Background: The impact of antiplatelet therapy (APT) on surgical blood loss (SBL) and postoperative bleeding complications (PBCs) in patients receiving emergency cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis (AC) still remains unknown. Methods: A total of 243 consecutive AC patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy were reviewed. In patients receiving APT (APT group, n=89), surgery was performed without preoperative reversal of the APT effect. Perioperative and outcome variables of the APT group were compared with those of patients without APT (non-APT group, n=154). Results: In this cohort, 106 laparoscopic and 137 open operations were included. There were 18 patients with increased SBL (>=500mL, 7.4%) and 7 PBCs (2.9%). Patients with APT showed higher occurrence of Grade 3 acute cholecystitis (46% vs 28%, p=0.005) and less frequently received laparoscopic surgery (34% vs 49%, p=0.022) compared to those in the non-APT group. Multivariate analyses showed that Grade 3 acute cholecystitis (HR=2.76, p=0.046) and male gender (HR=12.99, p=0.017), but not APT use or laparoscopic surgery, were independent prognostic factors for increased SBL. However, increased PBCs were significantly associated with use of multiple APT (HR=14.85, p=0.044) and anticoagulation (HR=47.18, p=0.002). Conclusion: Single APT does not pose a risk for either SBL or PBCs after emergency cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis, whereas patients with multiple APT or anticoagulation still represent a challenging group and need to be rigorously managed.

The optimal treatment of patients with mild and moderate acute cholecystitis: time for a revision of the Tokyo Guidelines.

According to the Tokyo Guidelines, severity of acute cholecystitis is divided into three grades based on the degree of inflammation and the presence of organ dysfunction. These guidelines recommend grade I (mild) acute cholecystitis to be treated with early laparoscopic cholecystectomy and grade II (moderate) acute cholecystitis with delayed cholecystectomy. Yet, several studies have shown that, for acute cholecystitis in general, early cholecystectomy is superior to delayed cholecystectomy in terms of complication rate, duration of hospital stay and costs. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical outcomes of emergency cholecystectomy in patients with grade II acute cholecystitis. Based on our findings, we propose a revision of the Tokyo Guidelines. We performed a retrospective observational cohort study of 589 consecutive patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy for acute calculous cholecystitis in a large teaching hospital between January 2002 and January 2015. Patients were classified according to the severity assessment criteria of the Tokyo Guidelines. Patients with grade I and grade II acute cholecystitis were compared for perioperative outcomes. Emergency cholecystectomy was performed in 270 patients with grade I acute cholecystitis and 187 patients with grade II acute cholecystitis. There was no difference in conversion rate (6 vs. 6%, p=0.985) and operating time (60min [25-255] vs. 70min [30-255], p=0.421). Also the perioperative complication rate (7 vs. 9%, p=0.517), 30-day mortality (1 vs. 1%, p=0.648) and length of hospital stay (4days [1-42] vs. 4days [1-62], p=0.327) were similar between grade I and grade II acute cholecystitis. The clinical outcomes of emergency cholecystectomy did not differ between patients with grade I and grade II acute cholecystitis. The findings support a revision of the Tokyo Guidelines with respect to the recommendation of performing emergency cholecystectomy in both grade I and grade II acute cholecystitis.

Tokyo Guidelines 2013 may be too restrictive and patients with moderate and severe acute cholecystitis can be managed by early cholecystectomy too.

The aim of this study was to determine whether early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is safe and feasible for patients diagnosed with moderate (grade 2) and severe (grade 3) acute cholecystitis (AC) according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13). Early cholecystectomy is the current accepted standard of care for patients with mild (grade 1) and selected grade 2 AC based on TG13. For selected grade 2 and grade 3 AC, early percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) followed by delayed cholecystectomy is recommended. Patients diagnosed with AC over a 14-month period were identified and divided into three grades of AC based upon chart review using the grading and severity indicators according to TG13. A total of 149 patients underwent emergency LC. Eighty-two (55%) patients were male. Eighty-four (56.4%) patients were classified as grade 1 AC, 49 (32.9%) as grade 2, and 16 (10.7%) as grade 3. Eighty-three (98.8%) patients with grade 1 AC underwent emergency LC, and 1 patient (1.2%) underwent PC followed by emergency LC. The median length of hospital stay for grade 1 AC patients was 2 (1-11) days. There were 2 (2.4%) readmissions with fever and no additional complications. Among the 65 patients identified with grade 2 or 3 AC, 6 (9.2%) underwent PC followed by emergency LC. Fifty-nine (90.8%) patients underwent emergency cholecystectomy: 58 (98.3%) LC and one (1.7%) open cholecystectomy. Among the 58 patients with LC, 3 (5.2%) patients had open conversion and 10 (17.2%) patients required subtotal cholecystectomy. One patient was converted to open due to bile duct injury and had hepaticojejunostomy repair. Two other patients were converted due to dense adhesions and inability to safely dissect Calot's triangle. The median length of hospital stay was 4 (1-28) days. There was one readmission for ileus. Severity grading of AC is not the sole determinant of early LC. Patient comorbidity also impacts clinical decision. Confirmation in a larger cohort is warranted.

The impact of frailty syndrome and risk scores on emergency cholecystectomy patients

Cholecystectomy, which is one of the most common surgical procedures, is also performed in the emergency setting. A number of risk scores have been introduced in recent studies; moreover, over the last few years literature has focused on surgical patients with frailty syndrome. The aim of the present study is to evaluate whether frailty syndrome and the risk scores are correlated with morbidity, post-operative hospital stay and the ICU admission rate following emergency cholecystectomy. Eighty-five consecutive patients of >65years of age who underwent cholecystectomy were selected from 2306 emergency procedures for inclusion in the present study. The patients were assessed for frailty syndrome and their scores were calculated on the basis of chart review. Univariate analyses were performed to compare severe frailty patients to intermediate frailty and robust patients. ROC and logistic regression analyses were performed with the end-points of morbidity, hospital stay and ICU admission. In addition to having worse ASA, inflammatory and risk values than robust patients, frailty syndrome patients also had higher rates of morbidity and ICU admission and longer hospitalization periods. A logistic regression analysis showed that the P-Possum was independently correlated with morbidity. Frailty and open surgery were independently correlated with longer hospitalization, whereas ICU admission was correlated with worse ASA and P-Possum values. Frailty syndrome significantly impacts the length of hospitalization in patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy. Although the ORs were limited, the P-Possum value was independently associated with the outcome.

Economic Implications of Providing Emergency Cholecystectomy for All Patients With Biliary Pathology: A Retrospective Analysis.

This study assessed the safety and efficacy of acute laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ALC) in patients presenting with biliary pathology. The potential savings plus income generation for the hospital were calculated. All patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy were identified from computerized and hand-written theater records to ensure complete capture. Length of stay, procedure time, patient demographics, and postoperative complications were recorded. Tariffs for conservative versus acute management were calculated. Total admissions and readmissions with biliary pathology (acute cholecystitis, biliary colic, gallstone pancreatitis, and obstructive jaundice) over a 12-month period were recorded. Eighty-four patients undergoing ALC were identified. There was only 1 major complication (1 postoperative bleed managed laparoscopically). ALC for all admissions would result in savings of £ 695,918 over 12 months. The implementation of ALC for all patients would result in a small loss in revenue when compared with elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy (£ 15,495) provided that all operations could be accommodated on established operating lists. Implementing ALC on all appropriate biliary admissions could generate up to 3 cholecystectomies daily for a population base of 1 million. ALC is cost-effective and safe. It can be offered to all patients with biliary pathology provided they are fit enough for surgery.

Infundibulinės laparoskopinės cholecistektomijos metodika turi kokybiškai atsinaujinti: 18 metų 13 274 cholecistektomijų analizė, 45 jatrogeninių tulžies latakų sužalojimų aptarimas ir įvertinimas

ĮžangaAtliktas Respublikinės Vilniaus universitetinės ligoninės 1996–2013 metų tulžies pūslės chirurgijos retrospektyvusis auditas, apibendrinantis 18 metų operacijų patirtį. Svarbiausias tyrimo tikslas – apibūdinti su laparoskopine cholecistektomija (LC) siejamą tulžies latakų sužalojimo riziką.MetodaiLC metu, siekdami identifikuoti tulžies pūslės lataką ir jos arteriją, laikėmės infundibulinės metodikos principų. Jatrogeniniai tulžies latakų sužalojimai susisteminti į penkias klases pagal Bismutho ir Strasbergo klasifikaciją. Siekdami nustatyti Lietuvos gydytojų publikacijas, kuriose analizuojamos laparoskopinės cholecistektomijos komplikacijos, naudojomės http://scholar.google.co.uk paieškos sistema. Taikyti standartiniai vienfaktoriai ir daugiafaktoriai statistinės analizės būdai.RezultataiAtliktos 13 274 cholecistektomijos, iš jų LC – 11 189 kartus (84,29 %). 5241 (39,48 %) pacientas laparoskopiškai operuotas dėl ūminio, 8033 (60,52 %) – dėl lėtinio cholecistito. Tulžies latakai sužaloti 45 ligoniams, iš jų 42 sužalojimai siejami su LC. Laparoskopinės operacijos metu tulžies latakai buvo sužaloti 2,7 karto dažniau nei per atvirąją (0,38 % vs 0,14 %, ŠS = 2,6149, 95 % PI 0,8097–8,4442, z = 1,607, p = 0,1080). Operuojant pacientus dėl ūminio cholecistito, jatrogeninių tulžies latakų sužalojimų pasitaikė du kartus dažniau (0,5 % vs 0,24 %, ŠS = 2,1029, 95 % PI 1,1627–3,8034, z = 2,459, p = 0,0140). Su LC siejamų jatrogeninių tulžies latakų sužalojimų rizika yra 1:261. 2010–2013 metais jų padaugėjo. Tulžies pūslės latako nesandarumo rizika po LC yra 1:323 (tai didele dalimi atspindi specifinę technologijos problemą). Pagrindinių šoninių tulžies latakų sužalojimų rizika yra 1:247 (tai chirurginės technikos problema). E klasės sužalojimo rizika 1:1243. 2000–2013 metais su LC siejama 40 % (17/42) jatrogeninių tulžies latakų sužalojimų. Hospitalinis mirštamumas nuo tulžies latakų sužalojimo buvo 11 % (5/45).IšvadosJatrogeniniai tulžies latakų sužalojimai yra nedažni, bet pavojingi. Tyrimas išryškino koncepcinius, sisteminius ir techninius LC trūkumus. Kadangi laparoskopinės cholecistektomijos kultūra prasideda nuo operacijai tinkamų pacientų atrankos, išsamiai infomuoto paciento sutikimo, šiuolaikinių pripažintų technologinių ir techninių priklausinių bei racionalių, pacientų saugumą užtikrinančių sprendimų, ji turi keistis. Ir ne tik įstaigoje, kurioje buvo atliktas šis klinikinis tyrimas, bet ir visose kitose geografinio regiono gydymo įstaigose, jeigu jose praktikuojama tokia pati arba metodologiškai panaši tulžies pūslės chirurgija.

Effect of Diabetes on Outcomes in Patients Undergoing Emergency Cholecystectomy for Acute Cholecystitis

In this study, one of the most prevalent diseases meets one of the most frequently performed operations. This topic is becoming more and more important because of the increasing age of the surgical population, paralleling the increasing incidence of diabetes. Karamanos et al. [1] analyzed data collected between 2004 and 2010 in the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database, focusing on 5,460 patients who underwent emergency inpatient cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis. The main aim of the study was to identify the prevalence of diabetes in this patient group and explore its effect on surgical outcomes. Multivariate analysis revealed significantly more adverse events in patients with diabetes than in nondiabetics, particularly regarding mortality, preoperative gallbladder perforation, and infectious complications. In light of the large database and robust multivariate analysis, the authors provide relevant support for their hypothesis. Of interest is the strong impact of diabetes mellitus on the presentation of cholecystitis, with a significantly increased incidence of preoperative gallbladder perforation. Potential causal interactions between the incidence of acute cholecystitis and diabetes will hopefully be addressed in future studies. Another interesting finding is the impact of insulin use on local and systemic infections compared to its effect on diabetic patients given oral medication and patients without diabetes mellitus. The elevated incidence of infections is unlikely to be explained by the higher incidence of perforations and longer hospital stays. Potentially complex interactions between diabetes and other aspects of the metabolic syndrome—obesity, fatty liver disease, consequences of arteriosclerosis—may influence the incidence of these outcome parameters. The impact of diabetes on some clinical outcome parameters may be explained in part by differences between the populations because despite being extensive multivariate analysis might not entirely correct for all factors that may have a causal effect on the observed events. The data of this study pave the way for new studies that address therapeutic aspects in patients with diabetes undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Optimal blood glucose levels and the intensity of the insulin treatment are of particular clinical interest in this population. With our current knowledge, it is unclear if local and systemic complications are altered by different approaches of intraoperative and postoperative glucose control, including tight glycemic control or standard care [2]. The present article addresses a frequent and highly relevant clinical scenario. In future, surgeons need to investigate further the relevance of the metabolic syndrome and associated diseases to the pathogenesis, outcomes, and clinical management of their patient population.