Israel Medical Association Journal

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has had a significant impact on healthcare systems worldwide. The fear of seeking medical attention to avoid the possibility of being infected may have altered the course of some diseases.

Objectives: To describe our experience with the management of patients with acute cholecystitis during the pandemic at our medical center.

Methods: We compared patients treated for acute cholecystitis between 1 March and 31 August 2020 (Group I) to patients admitted with the same diagnosis during the same months in 2019 (Group II). We evaluated demographics, presenting symptoms, laboratory and imaging findings at presentation, the disease's clinical course, management, and outcome.

Results: Group I consisted of 101 patients and group II included 94 patients. No differences were noted for age (66 years, IQR 48–78 vs. 66 years, IQR 47–76; P = 0.50) and sex (57.4% vs. 51.1% females; P = 0.39) between the two groups. The delay between symptom onset and hospital admission was longer for Group I patients (3 days, IQR 2–7 vs. 2 days, IQR 1–3; P = 0.002). Moderate to severe disease was more commonly encountered in Group I (59.4% vs. 37.2%, P = 0.003). Group I patients more often failed conservative management (36% vs. 6%, P = 0.001) and had a higher conversion rate to open surgery (15.4% vs. 0%, P = 0.025).

Conclusions: Patients presenting with acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic more often presented late to the emergency department and more showed adverse outcomes

Background: It is important to predict acute cholecystitis (AC) before a laparoscopic cholecystectomy because inflammation of the gallbladder predicts the need for open conversion and subsequent morbidity after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Objectives: To create an index based on clinical, laboratory, and ultrasound criteria on admission that will predict AC on pathological examination in patients presenting acutely.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed consecutive cases of emergency laparoscopic cholecystectomies conducted by three experienced surgeons between 1 October 2014 and 31 January 2018. Independent variables were age, sex, presenting symptoms, admission laboratory tests, and ultrasound findings. The outcome variable was AC on histological examination. An index was created from all variables that added significantly to the logistic regression analysis.

Results: Eight variables that contributed significantly to the model, included age, male sex, vomiting on admission, an increased proportion of neutrophils, a normal aspartate aminotransferase test, a normal serum amylase test result, a thick gall bladder wall, and pericholecystic fluid. An index of ≤ 2 to ≥ 8 created from those variables had a graded risk for AC of 1.8% to 92.0% with a c-statistic of 0.86 (95% confidence interval 0.81–0.91). Operating time and bleeding increased in those with a higher index.

Conclusions: An index including age, sex, symptoms, and selected laboratory results as well as ultrasound characteristics had an excellent graded risk in the prediction of histological AC that was associated with operating time and an increased risk of bleeding during the operation.

Background: The safe completion of cholecystectomy is dependent on proper identification and secure closure of the cystic duct. Effecting this closure poses a great challenge when inflammatory changes obscure the anatomy. Subtotal cholecystectomy allows for near complete removal of the gallbladder and complete evacuation of the stones while avoiding dissection in the hazardous area.

Objectives: To describe experience with laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy.

Methods: Subtotal cholecystectomy was performed when the critical view of safety could not be achieved. Surgical technique was similar in all cases and included opening the Hartmann’s pouch, removing stones obstructing the gallbladder outlet, and identifying the opening of the cystic duct, as well as circumferential transection of the gallbladder neck, closure of the gallbladder stump, and excision of the gallbladder fundus. Data retrieved from patient charts included demographics, pre-operative history, operative and postoperative course, and late complications. No bile duct injuries were observed in this series.

Results: A total of 53 patients underwent laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (2010–2018). Ten patients were operated during the acute course of the disease and 43 electively. Acute cholecystitis was the leading cause for gallbladder removal. Cholecystostomy tube was placed in 18 patients during acute hospitalization. The gallbladder remnant was closed and a drain was placed in most patients. Of the 53 patients, 42 had an uneventful postoperative course.

Conclusions: Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy is an effective surgical technique to avoid bile duct injury when the cystic duct cannot safely be identified. Subtotal cholecystectomy has acceptable morbidity and obviates the need for conversion in these difficult cases.

Background: Recent studies have suggested that urgent cholecystectomy is the preferred treatment for acute cholecystitis. However, initial conservative treatment followed by delayed elective surgery is still common practice in many medical centers.

Objectives: To determine the effect of percutaneous cholecystostomy on surgical outcome in patients undergoing delayed elective cholecystectomy.

Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of all patients admitted to our medical center with acute cholecystitis who were treated by conservative treatment followed by delayed cholecystectomy between 2004 and 2013. Logistic regression was calculated to assess the association of percutaneous cholecystostomy with patient characteristics, planned surgical procedure, and the clinical and surgical outcomes.

Results: We identified 370 patients. Of these, 134 patients (36%) underwent cholecystostomy during the conservative treatment period. Patients who underwent cholecystostomy were older and at higher risk for surgery. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was offered to 92% of all patients, yet assignment to the open surgical approach was more common in the cholecystostomy group (16% vs. 3%). Cholecystostomy was associated with significantly higher conversion rates to open approach (26% vs. 13%) but was not associated with longer operative time, hemorrhage, surgical infections, or bile duct or organ injuries.

Conclusions: Treatment with cholecystostomy is associated with higher conversion rates but does not include other major operative-related complications or poorer clinical outcome.

Background: The timing of interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy continues to be a matter of debate. 

Objectives: To evaluate the best timing for performing this procedure after an episode of acute cholecystitis. 

Methods: In this retrospective analysis, we divided 213 patients into three groups based on the time that elapsed since an episode of acute cholecystitis to surgery: Group I: 1–6 weeks, Group II: 6–12 weeks, Group III: > 12 weeks. 

Results: The mean operative time ranged from 50 to 62 minutes, complication rate from 2.6% to 5.9%, conversion rate from 2.6% to 10.8%, length of hospitalization from 1.55 to 2.2 days, and the 30 day readmission rate from 2.7% to 7.9%. There were no statistically significant differences between the study groups in the primary outcome parameters.

Conclusions: Due to the lack of statistically significant differences between the groups, interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be performed safely and without increasing the complication rate within 6 weeks following the acute episode as well as 12 weeks after. However, a trend towards higher conversion and complication rates was observed in Group II (6–12 weeks).

 

Background: Gallbladder (GB) cancer is rare. Most cases are incidentally found in specimens after a cholecystectomy. Cholelithiasis is almost always present when this diagnosis is made. Obesity is a known risk factor for gallstone formation and thus may be related to GB cancer. 

Objectives: To highlight the importance of evaluation of the gallbladder before surgery, resection of the gallbladder whenever required, and screening the resected tissue for malignancy.

Methods: We retrospectively queried a prospectively maintained database of all bariatric procedures during the last 8 years for cases of concomitant laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Pathologic reports of the gallbladders were reviewed. Demographic data and perioperative parameters were documented. 

Results: Of 2708 patients reviewed, 1721 (63.55%) were females and 987 (36.45%) males. Excluded were 145 (5.35%) who had a previous cholecystectomy. Of the remaining 2563, 180 (7.02%) had symptomatic gallbladder disease and underwent LSG with LC. Of these, two females (BMI 53 kg/m² and BMI 47 kg/m², both age 60) were found by histological examination to have adenocarcinoma in their GB specimens (1.11%). Both were reoperated, which included partial hepatectomy of the GB bed, resection of the cystic stump, lymph node dissection, and resection of the port sites. One patient is doing well, with no evidence of disease at a postoperative follow-up of 4 years. The second patient had recurrent disease with peritoneal spread and ascites 20 months post-surgery and died 18 months later. 

Conclusions: GB cancer is a rare finding in cholecystectomy specimens. The incidence of this entity might be higher in obese older females owing to the higher incidence of cholelithiasis in these patients. 

 

Objectives: To describe a novel, hybrid technique combining SILS and conventional laparoscopy using minimal abdominal wall incisions.

Methods: Fifty patients diagnosed with symptomatic cholelithiasis were operated using two reusable 5 mm trocars inserted through a single 15 mm umbilical incision and a single 2–3 mm epigastric port. This technique was dubbed “minimal incision laparoscopic cholecystectomy” (MILC).

Results: MILC was completed in 49 patients (98%). In five patients an additional 3 mm trocar was used and in 2 patients the epigastric trocar was switched to a 5 mm trocar. The procedure was converted to CLC in one patient. Mean operative time was 29 minutes (range 18–60) and the average postoperative hospital stay was 22 hours (range 6–50). There were no postoperative complications and the cosmetic results were rated excellent by the patients.

Conclusions: MILC is an intuitive, easy-to-learn and reproducible technique and requires small changes from CLC. As such, MILC may be an attractive alternative, avoiding the cost and complexity drawbacks associated with SILS.

Background: Earlier studies comparing minilaparotomy cholecystectomy with laparoscopic cholecystectomy did not find significant differences between the MC[1] and the LC[2] groups in operating times and patients' recovery.

Objectives: To compare the postoperative quality of life between the MC and LC groups.

Methods: The 157 patients with uncomplicated symptomatic gallstones, confirmed by ultrasound, were randomized to two groups: 85 for MC and 72 for LC. The study was prospective and randomized but not blinded or consecutive. The study groups were similar in patients' age, gender, body mass index, American Association of Anesthesiology physical fitness classification, and the operating surgeon. Patients were reevaluated 4 weeks after operation using the RAND-36 quality of life questionnaire.

Results: The RAND-36 questionnaire did not identify statistically significant differences between the study groups in general health perceptions, physical functioning, emotional well-being, social functioning, energy, bodily pain, and role functioning/emotional. Only the role functioning/physical score was slightly higher in the LC group (P = 0.038).
Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the MC procedure is a good alternative to the LC procedure, when postoperative quality of life ia measured

Background: Carcinoma of the gallbladder is diagnosed in 0.3–1.5% of all cholecystectomy specimens.

Objectives: To establish the overall rate of gallbladder carcinoma and unexpected gallbladder carcinoma based on our experience.

Methods: We retrospectively evaluated all consecutive cholecystectomies performed in our ward during a 6 year period in order to determine the incidence of gallbladder carcinoma and to identify common characteristics of this particular group of patients.

Results: Of the 1,697 cholecystectomies performed in our ward during the 6 years, gallbladder carcinoma was diagnosed in six patients (0.35%), but was not suspected prior to surgery in any of them. In accordance with the literature, the occurrence in women (5/6) was higher than in men (1/6). The mean age was 70 years (range 55–90). The most common symptom was abdominal pain; the majority (5/6) had cholelithiasis, and the pathologic report confirmed the diagnosis of adenocarcinoma in all six patients.

Conclusions: The overall incidence of unsuspected gallbladder carcinoma in our series was 0.35%. We could not find any common characteristics for this particular group of patients when compared to patients with non-malignant pathology.