[Follow-up of elderly patients previously treated for uncomplicated acute lithiasic cholecystitis]

Surgery is usually indicated in elderly patients with acute lithiasic cholecystitis although single antibiotics are often used for patients over 75 with complex medical histories and major visceral lesions. In our series of 45 patients, no new biliary pathology was seen in 26 (57.8%) after a mean follow-up of 40 months. In 15 patients, acute cholecystitis recurred and in 4 a stone found in the common bile duct. No deaths were associated with biliary pathology. While antibiotics appear to have an immediate beneficial effect, medium and long term results are mediocre. Percutaneous cholecystectomie however would be a satisfactory technique for external drainage even though mortality related to other pathologies is high.