Percutaneous cholecystostomy in acute complicated versus uncomplicated cholecystitis; is there a difference in...

Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is a therapeutic intervention for acute cholecystitis. The benefits of cholecystostomy have been demonstrated in the medical literature, with up to 90% of acute cholecystitis cases shown to resolve postoperatively, and only 40% of patients subsequently undergoing an interval cholecystectomy.

To compare the survival outcomes between acute complicated and uncomplicated cholecystitis in patients undergoing PC as an initial intervention, as there is a paucity of evidence in the literature on this perspective.

A retrospective search was conducted of all patients who underwent PC for acute cholecystitis between August 2016 and December 2020 at a tertiary institution. A total of 100 patients were included in this study.

The outcome, in the form of 30-day mortality, 90-day mortality, being alive after six months, and reintervention, was compared between complicated and uncomplicated cases using the chi-square test or Fisher's exact test. There was no statistically significant difference in any of the compared outcomes. The only variable that showed a statistically significant association with the risk of mortality was acute kidney injury (AKI) at admission. Patients who had stage 1, 2, or 3 AKI had a higher hazard for mortality as compared to patients with no kidney disease.

Our results demonstrate that PC is a safe and effective procedure. Mortality is not affected by the presence of complications. The results have, however, highlighted the importance of recognizing and treating AKI, an independent risk factor affecting mortality.