Profile and predictors of bile infection in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy

To study the bacteriological profile, and to determine predictors of bile infection and septic complications following laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

This cross-sectional study reviewed 1248 laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases performed between January 1994 and December 2007 by one surgical team at the Jordan University Hospital, Amman, Jordan. Bile cultures were performed for all patients and statistical analysis was performed on culture results and postoperative complications as well as, on the possible predictors of bile infection including age, gender, associated diseases, preoperative retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), and indications for surgery.

Uncomplicated gallstone disease was diagnosed in 993 patients (79.6%), 221 patients (17.7%) had acute cholecystitis, and 34 patients (2.7%) had jaundice. Associated morbidities were present in 513 patients (41.1%), preoperative ERCP was performed for 132 patients (10.6%), and postoperative septic complications developed in 25 patients (2%). Bile culture was positive in 250 patients (20%), 134 (53.6%) of whom had gram negative bacteria, 73 (29.2%) had gram positive bacteria, and 43 (17.2%) had mixed cultures. The chi-square test has shown that positive bile culture is significantly associated with age, gender, preoperative ERCP, associated morbidities, and complicated gallbladder disease, whereas multinomial regression analysis has shown that age and preoperative ERCP were the only significant predictors of bile infection.

Bile infection commonly complicates gallstone disease, and it can be influenced by age and preoperative endoscopic interventions, but it does not influence the occurrence of postoperative septic complications.