Acute acalculous cholecystitis as a complication of spinal cord injury

Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is an uncommon, but serious, and potentially lethal complication that may occur among patients suffering severe trauma, including surgical trauma, burns, and bacterial sepsis. Because clinical findings are often nonspecific or misleading, AAC causes a particular diagnostic problem when occurring after unrelated surgery or trauma. We report two patients who suffered AAC following spinal cord injury (SCI). We review the etiology, diagnosis, and management of this disorder. Increased awareness of this problem by the physiatrist and rehabilitation community is important, because of the apparent increasing occurrence of AAC and the potential for significant morbidity and possible mortality when not promptly diagnosed.