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Empyema of the gallbladder.
Annals of the Academy of Medicine, Singapore
|July 1, 1988
Summary
Suppuration in acute cholecystitis, often thought rare, occurs in 7-11% of cases. Early diagnosis of this potentially fatal condition is crucial for surgical emergency management.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Surgical Pathology
Background:
- Acute cholecystitis is a common surgical emergency.
- Suppuration (pus formation) in acute cholecystitis is widely perceived as uncommon.
- Limited published data contributes to this perception.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the incidence of suppuration in acute cholecystitis.
- To highlight the importance of diagnosing this potentially fatal condition.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective review of 518 patients undergoing emergency cholecystectomy.
- Analysis of gallbladder contents for the presence of frank pus.
Main Results:
- Frank pus was found in the gallbladders of 139 out of 518 patients (26.8%).
- The incidence of suppuration in acute cholecystitis was documented to be between 7-11% in available literature.
- Clinical presentation is often indistinguishable from acute cholecystitis.
Conclusions:
- Suppuration in acute cholecystitis is more common than generally believed.
- Accurate diagnosis is vital for managing this surgical emergency.
- Ultrasonography may show features indicative of purulent gallbladder content.