Hotter Than It Looks: A Retrospective Review of Patients With Cholecystitis and With Negative Imaging

• Published in: The Journal of surgical research Vol. 273; pp. 93 - 99
• Main Authors: Kelly-Schuette, Kathrine A., Chapman, Alistair J., Messer, Lauren E., Kuk, ChiuYing C., Lypka, Matthew M., Krech, Laura A., Pounders, Steffen J., Iskander, Gaby A., Gibson, Charles J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.05.2022
• Subjects: Acute care surgery; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic - adverse effects; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic - methods; Cholecystitis; Cholecystitis - diagnostic imaging; Cholecystitis - surgery; Cholecystitis, Acute - diagnostic imaging; Cholecystitis, Acute - etiology; Cholecystitis, Acute - surgery; Cholelithiasis - surgery; Humans; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Length of Stay; Negative imaging; Postoperative Complications - epidemiology; Postoperative Complications - etiology; Postoperative Complications - surgery; Retrospective Studies; Treatment Outcome; Acute care surgery; Negative imaging; Laparoscopic cholecystectomy; Cholecystitis
• ISSN: 0022-4804; 1095-8673
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jss.2021.12.003

Ultrasound is the gold standard for workup of cholecystitis in the emergency department, and findings heavily influence clinical decision-making. Patients with negative imaging for acute cholecystitis may be inappropriately sent home. The purpose of our study was to review the pathology and outcomes of patients presenting with biliary pain and negative ultrasound findings of acute cholecystitis. Emergency department patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between January 2015 and February 2019 were reviewed retrospectively. Only patients with negative or equivocal imaging were included. The primary outcome was the incidence of cholecystitis on final pathology. Two hundred fifty-seven patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Pathology demonstrated cholecystitis in 84% of patients. Only 15% of patients had cholelithiasis without cholecystitis on pathology. The incidence of cholecystitis was similar in negative and equivocal imaging groups (84% versus 83%; P = 0.960). The median time from admission to the operating room was 12.1 h (interquartile range 7.1-18.3 h), and hospital length of stay was 1.2 d (interquartile range 0.8-1.7 d). This study found that patients with negative or equivocal imaging had cholecystitis on pathology. On review of patient outcomes, those patients who underwent surgical intervention had a low rate of complications and short hospital stay.