Cholecystitis in children in Zaria, Nigeria

Outcome of acalculous cholecystitis from typhoid in Nigerian children

BACKGROUND

Gallbladder perforation and gangrene ordinarily follow obstructive (calculous) cholecystitis with a higher frequency among immunocompromised patients or patients with intense inflammation of the gallbladder. The occurrence of typhoid intestinal perforation is common in the tropics, but GBP and gangrene have been reported sparingly. We report management challenges of 6 children with complications of acalculous cholecystitis from typhoid seen at our center.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The patients were retrospectively sorted from the pediatric surgery unit and theater records of January 2000 to December 2006. Information studied included the patients' biodata, presenting features, operative findings, and outcome of management.

RESULTS

There were 6 patients, including 5 boys and a girl, ages ranging 3 to 15 years. The general presentation was that of septicemia. Three had multiple gallbladder perforations, and 3 others had gallbladder gangrene with inflamed Payer's patches on the terminal ileum. All patients underwent open cholecystectomy. There was a case each of postoperative fecal fistula and biliary fistula. All patients survived.

CONCLUSION

Acalculous typhoid gallbladder perforation, though rare, presents with management challenges.

Acalculous cholecystitis in Nigerian children

Sixteen children with acalculous cholecystitis (AC) were treated over a 9-year period (13 male and 3 female). Their ages ranged from 8 to 18 years (median 11). Eight (50%) presented with complications (perforation 4, gangrene 2, empyema 2); 13 (80%) presented with acute AC with a duration of symptoms of 2 weeks or less while 3 (20%) presented with chronic AC with symptoms present for more than 3 months. The diagnosis was made by ultrasound except in the patients with complications, who were diagnosed at laparotomy. Salmonella typhi was cultured in the bile and blood in 2 cases and the Widal titre was significantly elevated in 4 others. One child had chronic blockage of the cystic duct by a lymph node; in 9 there was no identifiable cause. Open cholecystectomy was successfully performed in 15 cases, while 1 child was managed non-operatively. The need for early diagnosis of cholecystitis in children is obvious if the potentially life-threatening complications of perforation and gangrene are to be avoided.