Cholelithiasis and aortic reconstruction

Identification of cholelithiasis during abdominal aortic reconstruction with placement of a vascular prosthesis provides cause for hesitation in performing a simultaneous cholecystectomy because of the potential contamination of the graft. However, the association of cholelithiasis with cholecystitis is well established and was observed in a group of patients who had known cholelithiasis following aortic reconstruction. Cholelithiasis was noted in 50 of 250 patients who underwent reconstruction of the abdominal aorta or its major branches. Seventeen of the 50 patients with cholelithiasis underwent a cholecystectomy prior to aortic reconstruction. Sixteen patients underwent a cholecystectomy at the time of aortic reconstruction and experienced no morbidity related to the cholecystectomy. Seventeen patients with cholelithiasis did not undergo cholecystectomy. All were asymptomatic. Nine of these individuals developed cholecystitis or symptoms related to their gallstones following aortic reconstruction. A subsequent cholecystectomy was performed in all nine patients. The interval between aortic reconstruction and cholecystectomy was from 2 weeks to 108 months. The remaining eight patients with cholelithiasis have been followed up for 17 to 50 months. Six of these patients remain asymptomatic. The two patients followed up for the longest period (42 and 50 months, respectively) have become symptomatic. If there are no mitigating circumstances, cholecystectomy is advised for patients undergoing aortic reconstruction with associated cholelithiasis.