Acute cholecystitis from typhic origin in children

To evaluate the particularities of typhoid cholecystitis in children.

This was a 5-year prospective study of typhoid cholecystitis in children under 15 years old at Djougou and Sylvanus Olympio teaching hospital. The diagnosis of typhoid cholecystitis was based on clinical and investigation findings, confirmed by operative findings at cholecystectomy.

Six children with typhoid acalculous cholecystitis were treated over a five-year period (4 males and 2 females). Their ages ranged from five to 13 years (median 8.8 years). The mean duration of symptoms was six to 21 days. The clinical signs were fever, abdominal pain, which predominated at the right upper abdominal quadrant, and type II Hackett splenomegaly. The diagnosis was confirmed by a positive Widal's test and Salmonella typhi isolation from the culture in all patients; four patients had ultrasound evidence of acalculous cholecystitis. Open cholecystectomy was successful in the six cases. The operative findings were gangrene (3), perforation (2) and empyema (1). All the patients made an uneventful recovery, and have remained symptom free one and three months on follow-up.

Typhoid acalculous cholecystitis is a frequent complication in children. Late presentation and diagnosis is associated with complications. Cholecystectomy in association with antibiotic is the treatment of choice.