Optimal Timing of Cholecystectomy for Patients with Concurrent Acute Cholecystitis and Acute Cholangitis after Successful Biliary Drainage by Interventional Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography.

Background: Concurrent acute cholecystitis and acute cholangitis is a unique clinical situation. We tried to investigate the optimal timing of cholecystectomy after adequate biliary drainage under this condition. Methods: From January 2012 to November 2017, we retrospectively screened all in-hospitalized patients undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and then identified patients with concurrent acute cholecystitis and acute cholangitis from the cohort. The selected patients were stratified into two groups: one-stage intervention (OSI) group (intended laparoscopic cholecystectomy at the same hospitalization) vs. two-stage intervention (TSI) group (interval intended laparoscopic cholecystectomy). Interrogated outcomes included recurrent biliary events, length of hospitalization, and surgical outcomes. Results: There were 147 patients ultimately enrolled for analysis (OSI vs. TSI, 96 vs. 51). Regarding surgical outcomes, there was no significant difference between the OSI group and TSI group, including intraoperative blood transfusion (1.0% vs. 2.0%, p = 1.000), conversion to open procedure (3.1% vs. 7.8%, p = 0.236), postoperative complication (6.3% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.342), operation time (118.0 min vs. 125.8 min, p = 0.869), and postoperative days until discharge (3.37 days vs. 4.02 days, p = 0.643). In the RBE analysis, the OSI group presented a significantly lower incidence of overall RBE (5.2% vs. 41.2%, p < 0.001) than the TSI group. Conclusions: Patients with an initial diagnosis of concurrent acute cholecystitis and cholangitis undergoing cholecystectomy after ERCP drainage during the same hospitalization period may receive some benefit in terms of clinical outcomes.

Hepatectomy or/with Metastatectomy for Recurrent Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Of Promise for Selected Patients.

Introduction: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) has devastating outcomes owing to its advanced stage at diagnosis and high recurrence after hepatectomy. There is no preferred treatment for recurrent ICC. We retrospectively reviewed our patients who underwent repeated operations for recurrent ICCs based on their different indications to appraise the outcomes. Methods: In all, 160 out of 216 patients with ICC (71.4%) experienced recurrence after curative resection from 1977 to 2014. The patterns of recurrence were categorized according to the locations and numbers of recurrent tumors. Results: Patients with merely intrahepatic recurrence (n = 38) had superior overall survival (OS) compared with those with beyond intrahepatic recurrence (p < 0.0001). Twenty-seven out of 160 patients (16.8%) underwent repeat hepatectomy or/with metastatectomy for recurrence and had superior OS when compared to the remaining 133 patients who received nonoperative treatment/palliation (85.6 months versus 20.9 months, p < 0.001). Furthermore, patients suitable for repeat hepatectomy in the intrahepatic recurrent group (n = 12) had superior post-recurrence overall survival (PROS) than the remaining 26 patients receiving nonoperative treatment (61.6 months versus 14.7 months, p < 0.05). Conclusion: Liver is the most commonly involved site of recurrent ICC. However, merely intrahepatic recurrence may have a favorable prognosis compared to recurrence involving other sites. Aggressive hepatectomy may provide a survival benefit in selected patients.

Optimal Perioperative Nutrition Therapy for Patients Undergoing Pancreaticoduodenectomy: A Systematic Review with a Component Network Meta-Analysis.

Numerous strategies for perioperative nutrition therapy for patients undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD) have been proposed. This systematic review aimed to summarize the current relevant published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating different nutritional interventions via a traditional network meta-analysis (NMA) and component network meta-analysis (cNMA). EMBASE, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library, and ClinicalTrials.gov were searched to identify the RCTs. The evaluated nutritional interventions comprised standard postoperative enteral nutrition by feeding tube (Postop-SEN), preoperative enteral feeding (Preop-EN), postoperative immunonutrients (Postop-IM), preoperative oral immunonutrient supplement (Preop-IM), and postoperative total parenteral nutrition (TPN). The primary outcomes were general, infectious, and noninfectious complications; postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF); and delayed gastric emptying (DGE). The secondary outcomes were mortality and length of hospital stay (LOS). The NMA and cNMA were conducted with a frequentist approach. The results are presented as odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Two primary outcomes, infectious complications and POPF, were positively influenced by nutritional interventions. Preop-EN plus Postop-SEN (OR 0.11; 95% CI 0.02~0.72), Preop-IM (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08~0.62), and Preop-IM plus Postop-IM (OR 0.11; 95% CI 0.03~0.37) were all demonstrated to be associated with a decrease in infectious complications. Postop-TPN (OR 0.37; 95% CI 0.19~0.71) and Preop-IM plus Postop-IM (OR 0.21; 95% CI 0.06~0.77) were clinically beneficial for the prevention of POPF. While enteral feeding and TPN may decrease infectious complications and POPF, respectively, Preop-IM plus Postop-IM may provide the best clinical benefit for patients undergoing PD, as this approach decreases the incidence of both the aforementioned adverse effects.

Surgical outcome of Mirizzi syndrome: Value of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and laparoscopic procedures.

BACKGROUND: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) with associated procedures and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) have been the standard treatments for both common and rare biliary diseases. Mirizzi syndrome (MS) is a rare and complex biliary condition. We report our experience with MS treatment and investigate the value of laparoscopic procedures and ERCP in patient management. METHODS: From 2004 to 2017, 100 consecutive patients with MS were diagnosed by ERCP and underwent surgery in a referral center. Sixty patients were treated with intended LC, and 40 patients were treated with open cholecystectomy (OC). The clinical manifestations, ERCP and associated procedures, surgical procedures, and postoperative outcomes were investigated. RESULTS: The surgical mortality rate was 1%, while the surgical morbidity rate was 15%. The patients treated with intended LC suffered from less morbidity (5%). The percentage of postoperative residual biliary stones was 32% (n = 32), and only three patients underwent re-operation (laparotomy) for stone removal. The laparotomy conversion rate in the intended LC group was 16.7% (10/60). The length of hospitalization for the patients with successful LC was significantly shorter than that for the patients with conversion and intended OC. Csendes classification was a risk factor for conversion from LC to OC (type I vs types II to V, P < .0001). CONCLUSIONS: A combination of a laparoscopic procedure and ERCP may provide therapeutic benefits for patients with MS.

The optimal timing of interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy following percutaneous cholecystostomy based on pathological findings and the incidence of biliary events.

BACKGROUND: The incidence of biliary events (BE) following percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) in acute cholecystitis (AC) patients is high. Therefore, definitive laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is recommended. We aimed to investigate the optimal timing of LC following PC with regard to the clinical course and pathological findings. METHODS: All 744 AC patients with PC were included. The incidence and median number of BE were investigated with the concept of competing risks. The 344 patients with interval LC were divided into two groups based on the pathological findings of resected gallbladders: the acute/acute-and-chronic group (AANC group) (n = 221) and the chronic group (n = 123). A comparative analysis of the demographic data and perioperative outcomes was performed. RESULTS: Among the 744 AC patients with PC, 142 patients experienced recurrent BE. The cumulative incidence of BE was 26.6%, and the median time to recurrence was 67.5 days. The PC-to-LC days of the chronic group were longer than those of the AANC group (73.51 vs 63.00, P < .001). The multivariate analysis indicated that the operation time was longer in the AANC group than in the chronic group (P = .040). CONCLUSION: In terms of the clinical course and sequential pathological changes in the gallbladder, a 9- to 10-week interval after PC is the optimal timing for LC.

Management of Patients With Acute Cholecystitis After Percutaneous Cholecystostomy: From the Acute Stage to Definitive Surgical Treatment.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) has become an important procedure for the treatment of acute cholecystitis (AC). PC is currently applied for patients who cannot undergo immediate laparoscopic cholecystectomy. However, the management following PC has not been well-reviewed. The efficacy of PC tubes has already been indicated, and compared to complications of other invasive biliary procedures, complications related to PC are rare. Following the resolution of AC, patients who can tolerate anesthesia and the surgical risk should undergo interval cholecystectomy to reduce the recurrence of biliary events. For patients unfit for surgery, whether owing to comorbidities, anesthesia risks, or surgical risks, expectant management may be applied; however, a high incidence of recurrence has been noted. In addition, several interesting issues, such as the indications for cholangiography via the PC tube, removal or maintenance of the PC catheter before definitive treatment, and timing of elective surgery, are all discussed in this review, and a relevant decision-making flowchart is proposed. PC is an effective and safe intervention, whether as expectant treatment or bridge therapy to definitive surgery. High-level evidence of post-PC care is still necessary to modify current practices.

Alternative application of percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with biliary obstruction.

PURPOSE: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is an important modality for acute cholecystitis and has been applied for other clinical scenarios as well. In the present study, we aimed to investigate an alternative use of PC for obstructive jaundice. METHODS: From January 2012 to December 2018, eligible subjects were selected from patients undergoing PC in our institute. The characteristics, spectrum of underlying disease, indication for PC performance, details of the procedure, and treatment effect were all investigated. RESULTS: During the study period, 1364 patients underwent PC. Seventy patients fulfilled the defined inclusion criteria. While 47 patients were diagnosed with malignant biliary obstruction with or without cholangitis, 23 patients were diagnosed with nonmalignant biliary obstruction and acute cholangitis. There were 63 patients (90%) diagnosed with acute cholangitis. Pancreatic cancer (n = 24, 51%) and advanced malignancy (n = 28, 59%) were noted mostly in the group with malignant biliary obstruction. Treatment effects were proven by laboratory data, including the white blood cell count, C-reactive protein level, and hepatic function. CONCLUSION: PC can temporize definitive therapies and serve as an alternative treatment for patients with nonmalignant conditions. For patients with advanced malignancy, PC can serve as a palliative procedure that has a high success rate and low complication rate and effectively relieves biliary obstruction.

Management of Gallstones and Acute Cholecystitis in Patients with Liver Cirrhosis: What Should We Consider When Performing Surgery?

Acute cholecystitis and several gallbladder stone-related conditions, such as impacted common bile duct stones, cholangitis, and biliary pancreatitis, are common medical conditions in daily practice. An early cholecystectomy or drainage procedure with delayed cholecystectomy is the current standard of treatment based on published clinical guidelines. Cirrhosis is not only a condition of chronically impaired hepatic function but also has systemic effects in patients. In cirrhotic individuals, several predisposing factors, including changes in the bile acid composition, increased nucleation of bile, and decreased motility of the gallbladder, contribute to the formation of biliary stones and the possibility of symptomatic cholelithiasis, which is an indication for surgical treatment. In addition to these predisposing factors for cholelithiasis, systemic effects and local anatomic consequences related to cirrhosis lead to anesthesiologic risks and perioperative complications in cirrhotic patients. Therefore, the treatment of the aforementioned biliary conditions in cirrhotic patients has become a challenging issue. In this review, we focus on cholecystectomy for cirrhotic patients and summarize the surgical indications, risk stratification, surgical procedures, and surgical outcomes specific to cirrhotic patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis.

Predicting cholecystocholedochal fistulas in patients with Mirizzi syndrome undergoing endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography.

BACKGROUND: Mirizzi syndrome (MS) is defined as an extrinsic compression of the extrahepatic biliary system by an impacted stone in the gallbladder or the cystic duct leading to obstructive jaundice. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) could serve diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in patients with MS in addition to revealing the relationships between the cystic duct, the gallbladder, and the common bile duct (CBD). Cholecystectomy is a challenging procedure for a laparoscopic surgeon in patients with MS, and the presence of a cholecystocholedochal fistula renders preoperative diagnosis important during ERCP. AIM: To evaluate cholecystocholedochal fistulas in patients with MS during ERCP before cholecystectomy. METHODS: From 2004 to 2018, all patients diagnosed with MS during ERCP were enrolled in this study. Patients with associated malignancy or those who had already undergone cholecystectomy before ERCP were excluded. In total, 117 patients with MS diagnosed by ERCP were enrolled in this study. Among them, 21 patients with MS had cholecystocholedochal fistulas. MS was further confirmed during cholecystectomy to check if cholecystocholedochal fistulas were present. The clinical data, cholangiography, and endoscopic findings during ERCP were recorded and analyzed. RESULTS: Gallbladder opacification on cholangiography is more frequent in patients with MS complicated by cholecystocholedochal fistulas (P < 0.001). Pus in the CBD and stricture length of the CBD longer than 2 cm were two additional independent factors associated with MS, as demonstrated by multivariate analysis (odds ratio 5.82, P = 0.002; 0.12, P = 0.008, respectively). CONCLUSION: Gall bladder opacification is commonly seen in patients with MS with cholecystocholedochal fistulas during pre-operative ERCP. Additional findings such as pus in the CBD and stricture length of the CBD longer than 2 cm may aid the diagnosis of MS with cholecystocholedochal fistulas.

Surgical outcomes of patients with maintained or removed percutaneous cholecystostomy before intended laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) followed by definitive cholecystectomy is an alternative treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC). We retrospectively investigated the impact of PC tube removal before definitive cholecystectomy on surgical outcomes. METHODS: From 2012 to 2017, 942 AC patients underwent PC at a single institute. Eligible patients were selected according to inclusion criteria. Demographic data, clinical and laboratory parameters, and treatment outcomes were extracted from medical records. Categorization of patients and subsequent subgroup analysis were based on cholangiography. RESULTS: The rate of emergent cholecystectomy in the PC tube removal group was higher than that in the PC tube preserved group (OR = 2.969, 95% CI 1.334-6.612, P = 0.008). In subgroup analysis of patients with patent bile flow under cholangiography, the rate of emergent cholecystectomy was higher in the PC tube removal group (OR = 3.173, 95% CI 1.182-8.523, P = 0.022), though the incidence of complications was higher in the PC tube preserved group (P = 0.012). In addition, routine preoperative cholangiography had no clinical impact on surgical outcome. CONCLUSION: Percutaneous cholecystostomy tube can be removed before subsequent LC to avoid postoperative complications, though removal of the PC tube is associated with an increased likelihood of emergent cholecystectomy.

Natural Course of Acute Cholecystitis in Patients Treated With Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Drainage Without Elective Cholecystectomy.

BACKGROUND: Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) is an alternative treatment for acute cholecystitis (AC). We aimed to understand the natural course of AC in patients treated with PTGBD but without later definitive treatments, such as laparoscopic cholecystectomy. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of the period from June 2010 to December 2016, during which time 2371 patients were diagnosed with AC and 625 received PTGBD treatment. Among the 625 patients, 237 received no definitive treatment. A biliary event after the initial AC episode was the outcome of interest. In addition, the competing risk of death unrelated to biliary causes was present in the cohort. Therefore, a competing risk model was applied for analysis. RESULTS: The cumulative incidence of biliary events was 29.8% with a median of 4.27 months, while the competing event, i.e., death unrelated to a biliary event, was noted in 14.9% of patients with a median 23.54 months. The risk factors of biliary events were prolonged PTGBD indwelling and an abnormal PTGBD cholangiogram. The risk factors of death unrelated to a biliary event included a high Charlson comorbidity index and the initial AC severity. CONCLUSIONS: Definitive cholecystectomy is still recommended for patients undergoing PTGBD treatment due to the high incidence of later biliary events. A thorough preoperative evaluation is necessary for those patients before elective cholecystectomy because of the inferior life expectancy and physical status.

Characterization of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma after curative resection: outcome, prognostic factor, and recurrence.

BACKGROUND: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a relatively rare subtype of cholangiocarcinoma. The study herein gathered experience of surgical treatment for ICC, and aimed to analyze the prognosis of patients who had received curative-intent liver resection. METHODS: A total of 216 patients who had undergone curative-intent liver resection for ICC between January 1977 and December 2014 was retrospectively reviewed. RESULTS: Overall, the rates of 5-years recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were 26.1 and 33.9% respectively. Based on multivariate analysis, four independent adverse prognostic factors including morphology patterns, maximum tumor size > 5 cm, pathological lymph node involvement, and vascular invasion were identified as affecting RFS after curative-intent liver resection for ICC. Among patients with cholangiocarcinoma recurrence, only 27 (16.9%) were able to receive surgical resection for recurrent cholangiocarcinoma that had a significantly better outcome than the remaining patients. CONCLUSION: Despite curative resection, the general outcome of patients with ICC is still unsatisfactory because of a high incidence of cholangiocarcinoma recurrence after operation. Tumor factors associated with cholangiocarcinoma remain crucial for the prognosis of patients with ICC after curative liver resection. Moreover, aggressive attitude toward repeat resection for the postoperative recurrent cholangiocarcinoma could provide a favorable outcome for patients.

Imatinib dose escalation versus sunitinib as a second-line treatment against advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumors: A nationwide population-based cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although treatment with imatinib in advanced gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST) patients has led to significant clinical benefits, the disease will eventually progress due to imatinib resistance. Treatment options after failure of first-line imatinib include imatinib dose escalation or shifting to sunitinib. However, there is no large-scale study to compare the efficacy difference between these two treatment strategies or the role of surgery. RESULTS: This study recruited 521 advanced GIST patients including 246, 125, and 150 placed in groups 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Groups 1 and 2 had significantly longer overall survival (OS) as compared with the group 3 (median 37.5 months versus 16.0 months; p < 0.0001). After adjusting for confounding variables, groups 1 and 2 had longer OS than group 3. A favorable survival trend was seen with surgery, although this benefit disappeared after adjusting for confounding factors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a nationwide population-based cohort study using data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database from July 2004 to December 2010. Advanced GIST patients who no longer responded to first-line imatinib were stratified into three groups: imatinib dose escalation (group 1); imatinib dose escalation and a shift to sunitinib (group 2); a direct shift to sunitinib (group 3). The therapeutic success of the three treatment regimens and the effect of surgery were evaluated by overall survival. CONCLUSIONS: For advanced GIST patients who failed first-line imatinib treatment, imatinib dose escalation confers significantly longer OS compared to a direct switch to sunitinib. Surgery does not provide survival benefits.

The impact of preoperative etiology on emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy for non-traumatic patients.

BACKGROUND: Emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy is a life-saving procedure in certain clinical scenarios when all the conservative treatment fails. The indications can be limited into perforation and bleeding. To clarify the impact of etiology on surgical outcomes of emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy for non-trauma, we analyzed our patients and performed a literature review. METHODS: We reviewed 931 consecutive pancreaticoduodenectomies performed at our institute between January 2001 and July 2015. Patients with emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy for non-trauma etiologies were enrolled, whereas those who suffered from caustic injuries were excluded. The keywords "emergent/emergency" and "pancreaticoduodenectomy/pancreatoduodenectomy" were applied in a literature search. The universally available data for all the enrolled patients including etiology, surgical complications, outcomes, and hospital stays were analyzed. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis for the contributing factors to surgical mortality were performed. RESULTS: Six out of 931 (0.6%) registered pancreaticoduodenectomies matched our criteria of inclusion. The literature review obtained 4 series and 7 case reports, which when combined with our patients yielded a cohort of 31 emergent pancreaticoduodenectomies with 13 cases of perforation and 18 of bleeding. The rate of emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy for non-traumatic etiologies is similar between the present study and the other 3 series, ranging from 0.3 to 3%. The overall surgical complication rate was 83.9%. The rate of surgical mortality is significantly higher than in elective pancreaticoduodenectomy by propensity score matching with age and gender (19.4 versus 3.2%, P = 0.015). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression disclosed that etiology is the only preoperative risk factor for surgical mortality (perforation versus bleeding; odds ratio = 39.494, P = 0.031). CONCLUSIONS: Emergent pancreaticoduodenectomy remains a rare operation. Surgical morbidity and mortality are higher than with elective pancreaticoduodenectomy among different reported series. By sorting the preoperative etiologies into two groups, perforation carries a higher risk of surgical mortality than bleeding.

Updated comprehensive epidemiology, microbiology, and outcomes among patients with acute cholangitis.

BACKGROUND: The international practice guidelines for patients with acute cholangitis and cholecystitis were released in 2007 (TG07) and revised in 2013 (TG13). This study investigated updated epidemiology and outcomes among patients with acute cholangitis on a larger scale for the first time. METHODS: This is an international multi-center retrospective observational study in Japan and Taiwan. All consecutive patients older than 18 years of age and given a clinical diagnosis of acute cholangitis by clinicians between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2012 were enrolled. Those who met the diagnostic criteria of acute cholangitis by TG13 were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 7,294 patients were enrolled and 6,433 patients met the TG13 diagnostic criteria. The severity distribution was Grade I (37.5%), Grade II (36.2%), and Grade III (26.2%). The 30-day all-cause mortality was 2.4%, 4.7%, and 8.4% in Grade I, II, III severity, respectively (P < 0.001). The incidence of liver abscess and endocarditis as complications of acute cholangitis was 2.0% and 0.26%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first large scale study to investigate patients with acute cholangitis. This study provides the basis to define the best practices to manage patients with acute cholangitis in future studies.

Percutaneous and endoscopic gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis: international multicenter comparative study using propensity score-matched analysis.

BACKGROUND: Tokyo Guideline 2013 (TG13) proposed three drainage techniques for the treatment of acute cholecystitis. We evaluated the clinical efficacy and adverse events between percutaneous transhepatic intervention (PTGBI) including percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration (PTGBA) and endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (EGBD). METHODS: A cohort study was performed using propensity score matching to reduce treatment selection bias. This involved the analysis of collected data for 1,764 patients who underwent PTGBI and EGBD. RESULTS: Propensity score matching extracted 330 pairs of patients. The difference in the clinical success rate within 3 days between PTGBI and EGBD were 62.5% and 69.8%, respectively (P = 0.085). The differences in the suboptimal clinical success rates within 7 days between PTGBI and EGBD were 87.6% and 89.2% (P = 0.579). The differences in the complication rate between PTGBI and EGBD were 4.8% and 8.2% (P = 0.083). The differences in the complication rate among PTGBD, PTGBA and EGBD were 5.6%, 1.6% and 8.2% (P = 0.11). Median required days of PTGBD (3.0 days) was significantly longer than those of PTGBA and EGBD (1.5 and 2.0 days, respectively) (P = 0.001). CONCLUSION: The current study showed the PTGBI showed similar clinical efficacy compared with EGBD without significant discrepancy of complication rate for the treatment of acute cholecystitis.

Optimal treatment strategy for acute cholecystitis based on predictive factors: Japan-Taiwan multicenter cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Although early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is widely performed for acute cholecystitis, the optimal timing of a cholecystectomy in clinically ill patients remains controversial. This study aims to determine the best practice for the patients presenting with acute cholecystitis focused on disease severity and comorbidities. METHODS: An international multicentric retrospective observational study was conducted over a 2-year period. Patients were divided into four groups: Group A: primary cholecystectomy; Group B: cholecystectomy after gallbladder drainage; Group C: gallbladder drainage alone; and Group D: medical treatment alone. RESULTS: The subjects of analyses were 5,329 patients. There were statistically significant differences in mortality rates between patients with Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) scores below and above 6 (P < 0.001). The shortest operative time was observed in Group A patients who underwent surgery 0-3 days after admission (P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis revealed CCI and low body mass index <20 as predictive factors of 30-day mortality in Grade I+II patients. Also, jaundice, neurological dysfunction, and respiratory dysfunction were predictive factors of 30-day mortality in Grade III patients. In Grade III patients without predictive factors, there were no difference in mortality between Group A and Group B (0% vs. 0%), whereas Group A patients had higher mortality rates than that of Group B patients (9.3% vs. 0.0%) in cases with at least one predictive factor. CONCLUSION: Even patients with Grade III severity, primary cholecystectomy can be performed safely if they have no predictive factors of mortality. Gallbladder drainage may have a therapeutic role in subgroups with higher CCI or higher disease severity.

Clinical application and verification of the TG13 diagnostic and severity grading criteria for acute cholangitis: an international multicenter observational study.

BACKGROUND: The Tokyo Guidelines 2007 (TG07) first presented the diagnostic and severity grading criteria for acute cholangitis. Subsequently updated in 2013, the Tokyo Guidelines (TG13) have been widely adopted throughout the world as global standard guidelines. We set out to verify the efficacy of these TG13 criteria in an international multicenter study. METHODS: We reviewed 6,063 patients who were clinically diagnosed with acute cholangitis in Japan and Taiwan over a 2-year period. The TG13 diagnostic and severity grading criteria were retrospectively applied, and 30-day mortality was investigated. RESULTS: A diagnosis of acute cholangitis was made in 5,454 (90.0%) patients on the basis of the TG13 criteria, and in 4,815 (79.4%) patients on the basis of the TG07 criteria. The 30-day mortality rates of patients with Grade III, Grade II, and Grade I were 5.1%, 2.6%, and 1.2%, respectively, and increased significantly along with disease severity. The mortality rate in the 1,272 Grade II cases where urgent or early biliary drainage was performed was 2.0% (n = 25), which was significantly lower than that of 3.7% (n = 28) in the other 748 cases. CONCLUSION: By using the TG13 diagnostic and severity grading criteria, more patients with possible acute cholangitis can be diagnosed, and patients whose prognosis can potentially be improved by early biliary drainage can be identified. The TG13 criteria are appropriate and useful for clinical practice.

Validation of TG13 severity grading in acute cholecystitis: Japan-Taiwan collaborative study for acute cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: The collaborative multicenter retrospective study of acute cholecystitis (AC) was performed in Japan and Taiwan. The aim for this study was evaluation of the clinical value of TG13 severity grading for AC. METHOD: The study was designed as an international multicenter retrospective study of AC from 2011 to 2013. Based on the data, we investigated the TG13 severity grading by analyzing the correlations between grade and prognosis, surgical procedures, histopathology, and organ dysfunction and prognosis. RESULTS: An investigation revealed that 30-day overall mortality rate was 1.1% for Grade I, 0.8% for Grade II, 5.4% for Grade III. The mortality rate for Grade III was significantly higher than lower grades (P < 0.001). The greater the number of organ dysfunction, the higher the mortality rate (P < 0.001). However, the mortality rate varied depending on the number of organ dysfunction (3.1-25%). With respect to the surgical procedures, laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed for Grade I patients (P < 0.001), and the higher the grade, the more likely open surgery would be selected (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: TG13 severity grading criteria for AC are providing great benefits in actual clinical settings. From this study, the position of each severity grade was obviously confirmed.

Descriptive review of acute cholecystitis: Japan-Taiwan collaborative epidemiological study.

BACKGROUND: Since the publication of the Tokyo Guidelines (TG13) for the management of acute cholecystitis (AC), multidirectional studies have been published. However, epidemiological research about AC with big data was not projected. The aim of this study was to reveal the actual clinical conditions of AC. METHOD: The study was designed as an international multicenter retrospective study of AC in Japan and Taiwan from 2011 to 2013. The factors investigated comprised data related to demographic, history, physical examinations, laboratory and imaging findings. Based on these data, we investigated the various values of AC, and real situation with respect to severity and treatment. RESULTS: A total of 5,459 patients with AC were reviewed. Thirty-day mortality rate was 1.1%. Based on the diagnostic criteria, 4,088 patients had a definite diagnosis and 291 had a suspected diagnosis. According to the severity grading, 939 patients were classified as Grade III, 2,308 as Grade II, and 2,130 as Grade I. Cholecystectomy was performed in total of 4,266 patients and 2,765 patients had laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The main etiologies were gallbladder stones in 4,623 cases. CONCLUSION: This epidemiological study with large population will undoubtedly contribute to establish the best practice for managing AC worldwide.