Expectant management is safe for cholelithiasis after heart transplant

The optimal management of cholelithiasis after heart transplant remains unclear. We use expectant management based on symptoms, without screening studies or prophylactic treatment. We hypothesized that expectant management for cholelithiasis after heart transplant does not result in significant mortality or morbidity from gallstone-associated disease.

Between November 1985 and August 2004, 409 heart transplants were performed in 402 recipients at the University of Washington. This is a non-concurrent cohort study of these recipients.

Among recipients, 24 underwent cholecystectomy before heart transplant. After transplant, in the remaining 378 patients, 34 were found to have gallstones during the observation period. There was no mortality from gallstone-associated disease. Thirty patients developed morbidity from gallstones, including 25 cases of biliary colic, 3 of acute cholecystitis and 2 of pancreatitis, and there was 1 abnormal liver function test. Acute cholecystitis and pancreatitis were treated with conservative management followed by cholecystectomy. Cholecystectomy was performed in 32 patients after transplant. Indications included symptomatic cholelithiasis in 31, and prophylactic cholecystectomy prior to kidney transplant in 1. The laparoscopic approach was performed in 25 of these 32 patients. There was no mortality from cholecystectomy, but there were 4 complications: surgical site infections (n = 2); wound dehiscence (n = 1); and bile duct injury (n = 1). Median hospital stay was 1 day.

Our expectant management for cholelithiasis after heart transplant resulted in no mortality or significant morbidity related to delay in treatment. Symptomatic cholelithiasis was successfully treated with cholecystectomy, mostly with the laparoscopic approach. We believe expectant management is safe for patients after heart transplant.