The Effect of Leucocytosis, Gender Difference, and Ultrasound in the Diagnosis of Acute Cholecystitis in the Elderly Population

¿Día o noche? El momento ideal para realizar la colecistectomía

Introducción. La frecuencia de complicaciones postquirúrgicas de la colecistectomía realizada en la noche es un tema de controversia, siendo que se ha reportado una frecuencia mayor durante el horario nocturno. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la presentación de colecistectomía difícil dependiendo de la hora en que se realizó la cirugía, además de otras complicaciones, estancia intrahospitalaria postquirúrgica, reingreso a 30 días y reintervención. Métodos. Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo, observacional, analítico y transversal, comparando la presentación de colecistectomía difícil y su frecuencia en horario diurno (8:00 am a 7:59 pm) y nocturno (8:00 pm a 7:59 am), además de seroma, absceso, hematoma, fuga biliar, biloma, estancia intrahospitalaria postquirúrgica, reingreso a 30 días y reintervención. Resultados. Se incluyeron en el estudio 228 pacientes, 117 operados durante el día (52 %) y 111 durante la noche (48 %). La colecistectomía difícil se presentó 26 % vs 34 % de los casos intervenidos en el día y la noche, respectivamente. La complicación más frecuente fue seroma (14 %). La estancia hospitalaria media fue de 2,7 días en cirugías diurnas y de 2,5 en cirugías nocturnas; hubo 3 % de reintervenciones y 6 %, respectivamente. También hubo 2 % de reingresos a los 30 días entre los pacientes operados en el día y 3 % entre los operados en la noche. Conclusiones. La frecuencia de colecistectomía difícil y las complicaciones, la estancia intrahospitalaria postquirúrgica, el reingreso a 30 días y la necesidad de reintervención, no tuvieron diferencias significativas respecto al horario de la cirugía.

Prognostic Significance of Ultrasound Findings of Acute Acalculous Cholecystitis for Elderly Long-Term Bedridden Patients

Background: Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is characterized by the development of cholecystitis in the gallbladder without gallstones or with small gallstones unrelated to inflammatory diseases. This disease is not rare in the elderly bedridden patients with co-morbidities and prone to develop life-threatening gangrene or perforation of gallbladder. Early imaging is essential for detecting and effectively treating AAC. This study aimed to evaluate the use of ultrasound diagnostic criteria for the diagnosis and prognosis of elderly long-term bedridden patients with suspected AAC.

Methods: We retrospectively studied 374 elderly bedridden patients with clinical manifestations of AC at the acute stage of the disease. Gallbladder anomalies were found in 92 patients by ultrasound examination, which correlated with the duration time of clinical manifestations, complications, as well as therapeutic prognosis. The major and minor ultrasound criteria of AAC were made according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2018. Ultrasound results were thought to be AAC positive when they met two major criteria or one major and two minor criteria.

Results: Forty-three (46.7%) of the 92 patients presented with AAC (+) test results based on the ultrasound criteria, with a higher incidence of complications (27.9%) than AAC (–) patients (0%; P < 0.001). The median length of symptoms (8 vs. 4 days, P < 0.001) and duration of antibiotic therapy (13 vs. 5 days, P < 0.001) were longer in the AAC (+) group.

Conclusions: The ultrasound-based AAC (+) group often had a worse prognosis than the AAC (–) group. Therefore, patients from the AAC (+) group should receive a follow-up ultrasound examination to detect disease progression early.

Plasma Procalcitonin Is Useful for Predicting the Severity of Acute Cholecystitis

Background

Acute cholecystitis is a common complication of cholelithiasis. Delayed diagnosis may constitute morbidity and mortality; therefore, early diagnosis and determining the severity of acute cholecystitis are crucial.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the validity of blood procalcitonin (PCT) levels in assessing the severity of acute cholecystitis.

Methods

The Emergency Department (ED) patients diagnosed as acute cholecystitis were included in the study. Patients were allocated into three severity grades according to the Tokyo Guidelines 2013. PCT level was measured after the clinical and radiological diagnosis of acute cholecystitis in the ED.

Results

Ninety-five patients diagnosed with acute cholecystitis, among them 48 of were male. Forty patients (42.1%) were allocated to grade 1, 19 (20%) to grade 2, and 36 (37.9%) to grade 3. The median values of PCT were 0.104 ng/ml, 0.353 ng/ml, and 1.466 ng/ml for grade 1, 2, and 3 patients, respectively (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Blood procalcitonin levels can be used to determine the severity of acute cholecystitis effectively.