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Surgical management of acute cholecystitis in a nationwide Danish cohort

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Abstract

Purpose

In the Danish national guidelines from 2006 on the treatment of acute cholecystitis, early laparoscopic operation within 5 days after the debut of symptoms was recommended. The aim of this study was to analyze the outcome in patients with acute cholecystitis subjected to cholecystectomy in Denmark in the five-year period hereafter.

Methods

All patients undergoing cholecystectomy in the period 2006–2010 were registered in the Danish Cholecystectomy Database, from which outcome data were collected. The effect of potential risk factors such as age, gender, BMI, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, previous pancreatitis, previous abdominal surgery, year of operation, surgical approach, and surgeon experience was analyzed.

Results

Of 33,853 patients registered with a cholecystectomy, 4667 (14%) were operated for acute cholecystitis. In 95% of the patients, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was intended and in 5% primary open access was chosen. The frequency of conversion from laparoscopic to open surgery was 18%. High age and ASA score, operation in the early years of the period, and open or converted procedure all increased the risk of hospital stay to > 3 days or readmission. High age and ASA score, converted or open operation, and previous pancreatitis increased the risk of additional procedures. Postoperative mortality was 1.2%, and significant risk factors for postoperative death were age, low BMI, high ASA score, early year of operation, and open procedures.

Conclusions

Acute cholecystectomy was safely managed laparoscopically in most patients after the introduction of national guidelines, with an increasing rate of laparoscopically completed procedures during the study period.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Digestive Disease Center, Bispebjerg Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Bispebjerg Bakke 23, DK-2400, Copenhagen, NV, Denmark

    Kristian Kiim Jensen & Nezha Obari Roth

  2. Department of Surgery, Zealand University Hospital, Roskilde, Denmark

    Peter-Martin Krarup

  3. Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Linda Bardram

Authors
  1. Kristian Kiim Jensen
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  2. Nezha Obari Roth
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  3. Peter-Martin Krarup
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  4. Linda Bardram
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Contributions

J: analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of manuscript, critical revision of manuscript. R: analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of manuscript, critical revision of manuscript. K: analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of manuscript, critical revision of manuscript. B: study conception and design, acquisition of data, analysis and interpretation of data, drafting of manuscript, critical revision of manuscript.

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Correspondence to Kristian Kiim Jensen.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants or animals performed by any of the authors.

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Based on national Danish law, informed consent was not needed from participants included in the study.

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Jensen, K.K., Roth, N.O., Krarup, PM. et al. Surgical management of acute cholecystitis in a nationwide Danish cohort. Langenbecks Arch Surg 404, 589–597 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-019-01802-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00423-019-01802-0

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