Organ system dysfunction following open cholecystectomy for acute acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) refers to cholecystitis without gallstones and is a serious complication of critical illness. We describe the time course of organ system dysfunction associated with cholecystectomy in critically ill patients with AAC. METHODS: The data of all intensive care unit (ICU) patients who had operatively confirmed AAC during their ICU stay between 2003 and 2004 were analyzed. Patients who also had other intra-abdominal pathologies were excluded. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores were recorded 3 days before, on the day of operation and on the first, second, third and seventh post-operative day after cholecystectomy. The impact of open cholecystectomy on organ dysfunction was evaluated on the basis of the change in the total and individual organ SOFA scores. RESULTS: Twenty-four patients underwent open cholecystectomy for AAC with no other intra-abdominal pathology. Sepsis was the most common admission diagnosis, followed by cardiovascular surgery. The mean (standard deviation, SD) Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE II), Simplified Acute Physiology Score (SAPS) II and SOFA scores on admission were 24.7 (5.8), 44.3 (12.3) and 9.4 (3.2), respectively. The median (25th, 75th percentiles) total SOFA score 3 days before cholecystectomy was 7.5 (1.3, 8.0), which increased to 10.5 (8.3, 13.0) (P < 0.0001) by the day of cholecystectomy, indicating developing multiorgan dysfunction. After the operation, the score decreased to 5.5 (3.3, 10.8) (P = 0.004) by the seventh post-operative day. The change was most obvious in cardiovascular and respiratory SOFA scores. CONCLUSIONS: AAC is associated with multiorgan dysfunction in critically ill patients. Open cholecystectomy seems to alter the course of multiorgan dysfunction in these patients.

Histopathology of acute acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.

AIMS: To illustrate the histopathological features of acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) of critically ill patients and to compare them with those of acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) and normal gallbladders. METHODS AND RESULTS: We studied 34 gallbladders with AAC and compared them with 28 cases of ACC and 14 normal gallbladders. Histological features were systematically evaluated. Typical features in AAC were bile infiltration, leucocyte margination of blood vessels and lymphatic dilation. Bile infiltration in the gallbladder wall was more common and extended wider and deeper into the muscle layer in AAC compared with ACC. Epithelial degeneration and defects and widespread occurrence of inflammatory cells were typical features in ACC. Necrosis in the muscle layer was also more common and extended wider and deeper in ACC. There were no differences in the occurrence of capillary thromboses, lymphatic follicles or Rokitansky-Aschoff sinuses between the AAC and ACC samples. CONCLUSIONS: There are characteristic differences in histopathology between AAC and ACC, although due to overlap, none appeared to be specific as such for either condition. These results suggest that AAC is largely a manifestation of systemic critical illness, whereas ACC is a local disease of the gallbladder.

Acute acalculous cholecystitis in critically ill patients.

BACKGROUND: Acute acalculous cholecystitis (AAC) is a serious complication of critical illness. We evaluated the underlying diseases, clinical and diagnostic features, severity of associated organ failures, and outcome of operatively treated AAC in a mixed ICU patient population. METHODS: The data of all ICU patients who had operatively confirmed AAC during their ICU stay between 1 January 2000 and 31 December 2001 were collected from the hospital records and the intensive care unit's data management system for predetermined variables. RESULTS: Thirty-nine (1%) out of 3984 patients underwent open cholecystectomy for AAC during the two-year period. Infection was the most common admission diagnosis, followed by cardiovascular surgery. The mean APACHE II score on admission was 25, and 64% of the patients had three or more failing organs on the day of cholecystectomy. The mean length of ICU stay before cholecystectomy was 8 days, and the mean total length of ICU stay was 19 days. Most patients (85%) received norepinephrine infusion, and 90% suffered respiratory failure before cholecystectomy. Hospital mortality was 44%. The non-survivors had higher Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores on the day of cholecystectomy compared to the survivors (12.9 vs. 9.5, P = 0.007). CONCLUSION: Acute acalculous cholecystitis was associated with severe illness, infection, long ICU stay, and multiple organ failure. Mortality was related to the degree of organ failure. Prompt diagnosis and active treatment of AAC can be life-saving in these patients.

Interscalene brachial plexus block is superior to subacromial bursa block after arthroscopic shoulder surgery.

BACKGROUND: Arthroscopic shoulder surgery is often associated with severe postoperative pain. The results concerning subacromial bursa blockade (SUB) as a method of pain relief have been contradictory. We hypothesized that a SUB and interscalene brachial plexus block (ISB) would similarly reduce early postoperative pain and the need for oxycodone as compared to placebo (PLA). METHODS: Forty-five patients scheduled for arthroscopic shoulder surgery were enrolled in this randomised, prospective study. The ISB and SUB blockades were performed with 15 ml of ropivacaine (5 mg/ml). In the PLA group, 15 ml of 0.9% saline was injected into the subacromial bursa. All patients received general anaesthesia. RESULTS: The mean intravenously patient-controlled delivered oxycodone consumption during the first 6 h was significantly lower in the ISB group (6 mg) than in the SUB group (24.1 mg; P=0.001) or in the PLA group (27 mg; P<0.001). No significant differences were detected between the SUB and PLA groups (P=0.791). The postoperative pain scores during the first 4 h at rest and during the first 6 h on movement were significantly lower in the ISB group than in the SUB and PLA groups. CONCLUSION: After arthroscopic shoulder surgery SUB has a minor effect only on postoperative analgesia, whereas an ISB with low-dose ropivacaine effectively relieves early postoperative pain and reduces the need for opioids.