A Clinical Study on Gallbladder Polyp

Area of Science:

• Gastroenterology
• Surgical Oncology
• Diagnostic Imaging

Background:

• Gallbladder polyps present with varied morphology and nature, often diagnosed incidentally via abdominal ultrasound.
• Clinical evidence for surgical indications remains limited, despite numerous risk factors.
• Management strategies require further analysis to establish clear guidelines.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the management of gallbladder polyps in the study's setting.
• To review available clinical evidence regarding gallbladder polyp treatment.
• To identify characteristics predictive of malignancy and guide surgical decisions.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective analysis of 112 patients who underwent clip-less mini laparoscopic cholecystectomy for gallbladder polyps.
• Collection of clinical data including patient history, demographics, lab tests, ultrasound findings, and intraoperative macroscopy.
• Review of subsequent histopathology reports for polyp nature and malignancy assessment.

Main Results:

• The study included 112 patients (mean age 42.6 years, 74% female), with 46.42% being asymptomatic.
• Most polyps were single (69), sessile (74.10%), with an average size of 7.6mm; cholesterol polyps were most common (82 patients).
• Four of five malignant polyps were single and sessile; ultrasound findings like size, morphology, and associated gallstones are crucial diagnostic indicators.

Conclusions:

• Abdominal ultrasound is the primary diagnostic tool for gallbladder polyps, requiring detailed reporting of size, location, morphology, number, and gallstone presence.
• Symptomatic gallbladder polyps demonstrate clear benefit from surgical intervention.
• Cholecystectomy is indicated for polyps >6mm, single, sessile morphology, particularly in patients over 50 years old.