Outcomes of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis (XGC) is a rare inflammatory disease of the gallbladder with distinct histopathological characteristics. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is currently the standard treatment for gallbladder disease. However, the outcomes of LC for XGC have not been completely investigated, due to the rarity of XGC. The present study aimed to assess the surgical outcomes of LC for XGC. Among 3,037 patients undergoing cholecystectomy between 2005 and 2017 at our institution, 58 patients (1.9%) were diagnosed with XGC based on histopathology. Of the patients, LC was performed in 38 (65.5%), and they were enrolled in the present study. The outcome of LC for XGC in the cases was assessed, and was compared with outcomes of LC for other diseases. The average operation time was 109±36 min, and average intraoperative blood loss was 58±85 ml. LC was converted to open cholecystectomy in 6 (15.8%) of the 38 cases. No operative mortality occurred. One patient developed postoperative complications greater than grade II in the Clavien-Dindo classification, and the mean postoperative hospital stay was 6.1±5.8 days. Based on previous reports and the nature of XGC itself, the outcomes reported herein of LC for XGC seemed acceptable. It should be also noted that LC for XGC exhibited a higher conversion rate compared with LC than other benign gallbladder diseases, implying that LC for XGC remains challenging.