Incidence and Risk Factors of Acute Ischemic Cholecystitis after Transarterial Chemoembolization: Correlation with...

Acute cholecystitis is a complication of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) that occasionally requires surgical intervention. We aimed to analyze the incidence and risk factors of cholecystitis requiring surgical intervention in patients with embolic material uptake on cone beam CT (CBCT) performed immediately after various TACE procedures.

After a retrospective review of 2633 TACE procedures performed over a 6-year period, 120 patients with embolic material retention in the gallbladder wall on CBCT immediately after TACE were selected. We analyzed the incidence of and risk factors for acute cholecystitis.

The overall incidence of acute cholecystitis requiring surgical intervention was 0.45% (12 of 2633 TACE procedures); however, it was present in 10% (12 of 120) of procedures that showed high-density embolic material retention in the gallbladder wall on CBCT performed immediately after TACE. Acute cholecystitis requiring surgical intervention occurred in eight patients (66.7%) who underwent direct cystic arterial embolization. Surgical intervention was performed 15 days (mean) after TACE.

Most unintended chemolipiodol deposits in the gallbladder wall resolved without intervention or surgery. However, superselective direct cystic arterial chemoembolization was associated with a high incidence of acute cholecystitis requiring surgery, and patients who undergo this procedure should be closely monitored.