Referral practices are associated with a delay in treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis and cholecystitis.

BACKGROUND: The project was performed to determine if referrals to non-surgical providers after an initial presentation of symptomatic cholelithiasis are associated with a delay in surgical management. METHODS: A single institution chart review of all adult patients who underwent a cholecystectomy from 2015 to 2019 was completed. Quantitative data was analyzed using independent t-tests. RESULTS: Of 574 reviewed, 482 patients met criteria. Following initial presentation, 295 (61.2%) received a referral to surgery and 187 (38.8%) received follow up with a non-surgical provider. Those in the latter group had a significantly longer time from initial symptom presentation to surgical evaluation (65.7 days vs. 10.3 days, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) and cholecystectomy (102.0 days vs 39.1 days, p â€‹< â€‹0.001) when compared to the surgery referral group. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that cholecystectomy was significantly delayed for patients who had been referred to non-surgical providers after initial presentation, prolonging symptoms and increasing use of healthcare resources.

[Implementation of the «safe cholecystectomy¼ program in the Leningrad Region]. / Realizatsiya programmy «bezopasnaya kholetsistektomiya¼ v Leningradskoi oblasti.

OBJECTIVE: To present a treatment program for patients with cholelithiasis in the region in accordance with modern requirements for the quality of medical care in the realities of a three-level system of surgical care. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The results of treatment of patients with cholelithiasis at various levels of medical care were analyzed with an assessment of the indicators of operational activity of performing cholecystectomy by laparoscopic and open methods, the development of complications of surgery and inpatient mortality. RESULTS: A programmatic approach has been developed to assist patients with cholelithiasis in the conditions of regional healthcare at different levels of surgical care. CONCLUSION: The implementation of this program minimizes the number of postoperative complications and mortality at the second and third levels of surgical care. It is determined that a rational approach to reduce the number of bile duct injuries is their prevention by impeccable compliance with the technique of surgical intervention on the organs of the upper floor of the abdominal cavity, and to reduce the number of negative consequences - compliance with the proposed algorithm of diagnosis and treatment.

The Evaluation of Gallstone Disease in the Year Before Pancreatic Cancer Diagnosis.

INTRODUCTION: Patients with pancreatic cancer can present with a variety of insidious abdominal symptoms, complicating initial diagnosis. Early symptoms of pancreatic cancer often mirror those associated with gallstone disease, which has been demonstrated to be a risk factor for this malignancy. This study aims to compare the incidence of gallstone disease in the year before diagnosis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) as compared to the general population, and evaluate the association of gallstone disease with stage at diagnosis and surgical intervention. METHODS: Patients with PDAC were identified from SEER-Medicare (2008-2015). The incidence of gallstone disease (defined as cholelithiasis, cholecystitis and/or cholecystectomy) in the 1 year before cancer diagnosis was compared to the annual incidence in an age-matched, sex-matched, and race-matched noncancer Medicare cohort. RESULTS: Among 14,654 patients with PDAC, 4.4% had gallstone disease in the year before cancer diagnosis. Among the noncancer controls (n = 14,654), 1.9% had gallstone disease. Both cohorts had similar age, sex and race distributions. PDAC patients with gallstone disease were diagnosed at an earlier stage (stage 0/I-II, 45.8% versus 38.1%, P < 0.0001) and a higher proportion underwent resection (22.7% versus 17.4%, P = 0.0004) compared to patients without gallstone disease. CONCLUSIONS: In the year before PDAC diagnosis, patients present with gallstone disease more often than the general population. Improving follow-up care and differential diagnosis strategies may help combat the high mortality rate in PDAC by providing an opportunity for earlier stage of diagnosis and earlier intervention.

Acute Abdominal Pain in Adults: Evaluation and Diagnosis.

Acute abdominal pain, defined as nontraumatic abdominal pain lasting fewer than seven days, is a common presenting concern with a broad differential diagnosis. The most common causes are gastroenteritis and nonspecific abdominal pain, followed by cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, diverticulitis, and appendicitis. Extra-abdominal causes such as respiratory infections and abdominal wall pain should be considered. Pain location, history, and examination findings help guide the workup after ensuring hemodynamic stability. Recommended tests may include a complete blood count, C-reactive protein, hepatobiliary markers, electrolytes, creatinine, glucose, urinalysis, lipase, and pregnancy testing. Several diagnoses, such as cholecystitis, appendicitis, and mesenteric ischemia, cannot be confirmed clinically and typically require imaging. Conditions such as urolithiasis and diverticulitis may be diagnosed clinically in certain cases. Imaging studies are chosen based on the location of pain and index of suspicion for specific etiologies. Computed tomography with intravenous contrast media is often chosen for generalized abdominal pain, left upper quadrant pain, and lower abdominal pain. Ultrasonography is the study of choice for right upper quadrant pain. Point-of-care ultrasonography can aid in the prompt diagnosis of several etiologies of acute abdominal pain, including cholelithiasis, urolithiasis, and appendicitis. In patients who have female reproductive organs, diagnoses such as ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, and adnexal torsion should be considered. If ultrasonography results are inconclusive in pregnant patients, magnetic resonance imaging is preferred over computed tomography when available.

[Endoscopic treatment of Mirizzi syndrome]. / Endoskopicheskoe lechenie sindroma Mirizzi.

Mirizzi syndrome is a complication of cholelithiasis occurring in 0.25-6% of cases [1]. Clinical pattern includes jaundice due to prolapse of a large calculus into the common bile duct following cholecystocholedochal fistula. Ultrasound, CT, MRI, MRCP data, as well as some pathognomonic signs provide preoperative diagnostics of Mirizzi syndrome. In most cases, treatment of this syndrome requires open surgery. We report successful endoscopic treatment of a patient with long-standing bile stone disease complicated by Mirizzi syndrome. Postoperative complications of surgery performed in acute period of disease and further staged treatment using retrograde access are illustrated. Endoscopic treatment demonstrated minimally invasive management of disease presenting diagnostic and technical difficulties.

Intrahepatic cholelithiasis with gallbladder-like metaplasia of intrahepatic bile ducts associated with gallbladder agenesis in a wild boar.

An unknown-aged adult female wild boar (Sus scrofa) was brought to Kyungpook National University for postmortem examination. Gross examination revealed gallbladder agenesis. Histologically, the liver was cirrhotic and had intrahepatic cholelithiasis, the choleliths were yellow, brown, gray, and black, and had coffin-lid and pyramidal appearances. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that the components were 80% struvite and 20% calcium oxalate monohydrate. Chronic inflammatory cell infiltration was observed, with hyperplastic hepatocellular nodules characterized by large nuclei, prominent nucleoli, and scant cytoplasm with frequent binucleation, surrounded by thick fibrous septa. The epithelium of intrahepatic bile ducts that contained choleliths had undergone gallbladder-like metaplasia, which might have been induced by chronic irritation from the stones or by the accompanying chronic bacterial infection that was observed in Gram stains.

[Intraluminal endoscopy for biliary duodenal obstruction]. / Vnutriprosvetnaya endoskopiya pri biliarnoi duodenal'noi neprokhodimosti.

Cholelithiasis complicated by cholecystoduodenal fistula and small bowel biliary obstruction is an absolute indication for surgical treatment. Modern possibilities of intraluminal endoscopy (electrohydraulic lithotripsy) made it possible to avoid intra-abdominal access (laparotomy, laparoscopy) and postoperative complications. Finally, rapid rehabilitation was noted.

Prophylactic cholecystectomy in individuals with spinal cord injury: A systematic review.

CONTEXT: Spinal cord injury (SCI) is associated with several gastrointestinal disorders, and the prevalence of cholelithiasis is high in this population. Because individuals with SCI may have atypical symptoms and more advanced disease, some treatment centers advocate prophylactic cholecystectomy for patients with SCI and gallstone disease. OBJECTIVE: To systematically review the existence and quality of studies on prophylactic cholecystectomy in individuals with SCI and cholelithiasis. METHODS: A systematic search of literature up to July 10, 2022 was conducted in accordance with PRISMA guidelines using the Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Keywords used were "cholecystectomy," "gallbladder," "cholelithiasis," "gallstone," and "spinal cord injury." RESULTS: The search identified 118 articles, of which 4 met the inclusion criteria. All these were retrospective observational studies. Prophylactic cholecystectomy was performed in 4-16.5% of the participants. The causes of cholecystectomy were chronic cholecystitis with biliary colic (44.5-63.5%), acute cholecystitis (4-26%), choledocholithiasis (6-11%) and pancreatitis (2-6%). Operative times, conversion rates, estimated blood loss, severity of complications, morbidity and mortality did not differ significantly between individuals with SCI and neurologically able individuals. CONCLUSION: No prospective cohort studies comparing prophylactic cholecystectomy with conservative management in individuals with SCI and gallstone disease have been conducted. Therefore, there is no robust evidence to support prophylactic cholecystectomy and further studies are required.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in Situs Inversus Totalis with Stage 5 Chronic Kidney Disease: A Case Report.

Situs inversus totalis is a rare congenital anomaly in which the abdominal and thoracic organs are transposed in a mirror image. Diagnosis and management of cholelithiasis in patients with situs inversus totalis pose a challenge due to the anatomical variation. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy in such a case can be technically challenging, especially for a right-handed surgeon. In this case report, we present a case of a 38-year-old male with symptomatic cholelithiasis in a chronic kidney disease stage five patient under maintenance hemodialysis planned for recipient renal transplant. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy considered the gold standard for symptomatic cholelithiasis was performed with a three-port technique. The technical challenges anticipated due to anatomical variation were managed by intraoperative modifications. In conclusion, laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with situs inversus totalis can be done with technical modifications and re-orientation of visual motor skills. Keywords: case reports; cholecystectomy; situs inversus.

The Etiology of Cholelithiasis in Children and Adolescents-A Literature Review.

The incidence of gallstone disease has increased in recent years. The pathogenesis of cholelithiasis is not fully understood. The occurrence of the disease is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. This article reviews the literature on cholelithiasis in children, with the exception of articles on hematological causes of cholelithiasis and cholelithiasis surgery. The aim of this review is to present the latest research on the pathogenesis of gallstone disease in children. The paper discusses the influence of all factors known so far, such as genetic predisposition, age, infections, medications used, parenteral nutrition, and comorbidities, on the development of gallstone disease. The course of cholelithiasis in the pediatric population is complex, ranging from asymptomatic to life-threatening. Understanding the course of the disease and predisposing factors can result in a faster diagnosis of the disease and administration of appropriate treatment.

[Cholelithiasis and cholecystectomy in infants]. / Lithiases vésiculaires et cholécystectomie chez le nourrisson.

Cholelithiasis is rare in children and even more so in infants. We report the case of a 3-month-old patient with cholestatic jaundice secondary to an obstruction of the terminal portion of the bile duct. The treatment applied in this patient was a cholecystectomy with trans-cystic cholangiography and common bile duct clearance. The evolution was excellent. The current literature on biliary lithiasis in children and infants is poor in large cohort studies. The various treatments proposed, if necessary, include biliary lavage by percutaneous puncture, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with sphincterotomy and laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy with intraoperative cholangiography. None of these procedures has shown superiority over the others. Therefore, no treatment algorithm is currently defined. Patients are treated on a case-by-case basis according to their symptoms, previous history and the level of expertise of each centre for these rare, difficult and specific procedures.

La pathologie lithiasique biliaire est rare chez l'enfant et encore plus chez le nourrisson. Nous exposons le cas d'une jeune patiente de 3 mois présentant un ictère cholestatique secondaire à un obstacle de la portion terminale du cholédoque. Le traitement appliqué chez cette patiente a été une cholécystectomie avec cholangiographie trans-cystique et désobstruction du cholédoque. L'évolution a été excellente. La littérature actuelle sur la pathologie lithiasique biliaire de l'enfant et du nourrisson est pauvre en études de grande cohorte. Les différents traitements proposés, si nécessaire, comportent le lavage biliaire par ponction percutanée, la cholangiopancréatographie rétrograde endoscopique avec sphinctérotomie et la cholécystectomie par voie laparoscopique ou ouverte avec cholangiographie peropératoire. Aucune de ces procédures n'a montré de supériorité par rapport aux autres. Aucun algorithme de traitement n'est donc actuellement défini. Les patients sont traités au cas par cas selon leurs symptômes, leurs antécédents et le niveau d'expertise de chaque centre pour ces procédures rares, difficiles et spécifiques.

Cholelithiasis in children: A characteristic study.

INTRODUCTION: Pediatric cholelithiasis (PC) is relatively rare when compared to adult cholelithiasis. This study is aimed to describe the clinical characteristics of pediatric cholelithiasis treated at Hasan Sadikin General Hospital (HSGH), Bandung, Indonesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a descriptive study of children aged 0-18 years who were diagnosed with and treated for cholelithiasis at the HSGH over 4-5 years. Variables collected during this study were sex, age, chief complaint, previous medical history, diagnostic test, definitive management, and clinical outcomes. RESULTS: There were 12 cases of pediatric cholelithiasis during the study period, including those of 5 boys (41.7%) and 7 girls (58.3%). The mean and median age of the patients was 10.75 years and 12 years, respectively. The most prevalent complaint of the patients was abdominal pain (75%), followed by jaundice (16.6%) and abdominal distension (8.4%). Thalassemia was the most frequently associated disorder among the patients (25%). Ultrasonography was diagnostic imaging used on 66.6% of patients. Fifty-eight percent of patients have performed the surgery. The most frequently used surgical technique to manage the patients included laparoscopic cholecystectomy (33.3%), followed by laparotomic cholecystectomy (16.7%). CONCLUSION: PC is an uncommon disorder, but easier to diagnose reasonably with the development of imaging study. Minimally invasive procedures using laparoscopic cholecystectomy were the most frequently performed surgical treatment in this study.

[Modern approaches to the treatment of patients with a complicated form of gallstone disease in the Botkin hospital]. / Protokol lecheniya bol'nykh s oslozhnennoi formoi zhelchnokamennoi bolezni v khirurgicheskoi klinike Botkinskoi bol'nitsy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the optimal timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with gallstone disease complicated by cholelithiasis after endoscopic retrograde papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed treatment outcomes in 229 patients with gallstone disease complicated by cholelithiasis between 2016 and 2020. Simultaneous surgery was performed in 31 patients, early cholecystectomy (after 1-3 days) - in 78 cases, delayed cholecystectomy (after 4-7 days) - in 35 cases and delayed cholecystectomy in 14-30 days after endoscopic retrograde papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction in 85 cases. RESULTS: Simultaneous laparoscopic cholecystectomy and surgery in early period after endoscopic retrograde papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction are followed by less surgery time, few postoperative complications and less hospital-stay. CONCLUSION: Simultaneous laparoscopic cholecystectomy and early surgery after endoscopic retrograde papillosphincterotomy with lithoextraction are preferred for patients with complicated gallstone disease. However, this requires adherence to strict criteria for patient selection.

Genetic Analysis of ABCB4 Mutations and Variants Related to the Pathogenesis and Pathophysiology of Low Phospholipid-Associated Cholelithiasis.

Clinical studies have revealed that the ABCB4 gene encodes the phospholipid transporter on the canalicular membrane of hepatocytes, and its mutations and variants are the genetic basis of low phospholipid-associated cholelithiasis (LPAC), a rare type of gallstone disease caused by a single-gene mutation or variation. The main features of LPAC include a reduction or deficiency of phospholipids in bile, symptomatic cholelithiasis at <40 years of age, intrahepatic sludge and microlithiasis, mild chronic cholestasis, a high cholesterol/phospholipid ratio in bile, and recurrence of biliary symptoms after cholecystectomy. Needle-like cholesterol crystals, putatively "anhydrous" cholesterol crystallization at low phospholipid concentrations in model and native bile, are characterized in ABCB4 knockout mice, a unique animal model for LPAC. Gallbladder bile with only trace amounts of phospholipids in these mice is supersaturated with cholesterol, with lipid composition plotting in the left two-phase zone of the ternary phase diagram, consistent with "anhydrous" cholesterol crystallization. In this review, we summarize the molecular biology and physiological functions of ABCB4 and comprehensively discuss the latest advances in the genetic analysis of ABCB4 mutations and variations and their roles in the pathogenesis and pathophysiology of LPAC in humans, based on the results from clinical studies and mouse experiments. To date, approximately 158 distinct LPAC-causing ABCB4 mutations and variants in humans have been reported in the literature, indicating that it is a monogenic risk factor for LPAC. The elucidation of the ABCB4 function in the liver, the identification of ABCB4 mutations and variants in LPAC patients, and the exploration of gene therapy for ABCB4 deficiency in animal models can help us to better understand the cellular, molecular, and genetic mechanisms underlying the onset of the disease, and will pave the way for early diagnosis and prevention of susceptible subjects and effective intervention for LPAC in patients.

Gallstone Disease and Risk of Conventional Adenomas and Serrated Polyps: A Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND: Gallstone disease has been associated with colorectal cancer and some form of polyps, although the findings are inconclusive. It remains unknown whether gallstone disease influences the initiation of colorectal cancer. METHODS: We prospectively assessed the association of gallstone disease with risk of colorectal cancer precursors, including conventional adenomas and serrated polyps, in the Nurses' Health Study (1992-2012), the Nurses' Health Study II (1991-2011), and the Health Professionals Follow-up Study (1992-2012). Gallstone diseases were assessed using biennial follow-up questionnaires. Self-reported polyp diagnosis was confirmed by review of medical records. Logistic regression models were used to calculate the ORs with adjustment for smoking and other potential confounders. RESULTS: Among participants who had undergone a total of 323,832 endoscopies, 16.5% had gallstone disease and 11.3% received cholecystectomy. We documented 1,724, 1,212, and 1,943 cases of conventional adenomas and 1,470, 1,090, and 1,643 serrated polyps in patients with gallstones, cholecystectomy, and either of them, respectively. The OR for adenomas was 1.00 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.95-1.06] for gallstones, 0.99 (95% CI, 0.93-1.06) for cholecystectomy, and 1.00 (95% CI, 0.95-1.05) for either exposure. The corresponding ORs for serrated polyps were 0.98 (95% CI, 0.92-1.04), 0.99 (95% CI, 0.93-1.06), and 0.97 (95% CI, 0.92-1.03), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Gallstone disease is not associated with colorectal polyps. IMPACT: Patients with gallstones appear to have similar risk of colorectal polyps compared with those without and may therefore follow average-risk colorectal cancer screening guidelines.

Biliary stents are forgotten more frequently in elderly patients

Background/aim: Plastic biliary stents that remain in situ for more than 12 months, called forgotten biliary stents (FBSs), can cause complications such as cholangitis, stent migration, stent occlusion, and perforation. Materials and methods: The medical records of patients who underwent ERCP procedures from December 2016 to December 2020 were analysed retrospectively. Data on patient characteristics, indications for ERCP and stenting, stent types, stenting duration, complications, and causes of FBSs were obtained from the hospital's database. Results: A total of 48 cases with FBSs were analysed. The mean age (SD) of the patients was 71.23 years (±12.165), the male-to-female ratio was 23/25 (0.92), and the mean stenting duration was 27.12 months (range: 12­84 months). The most common indication for biliary stenting was irretrievable choledochal stones (40/48). Stone formation (79%) and proximal stent migration (26.4%) were the most frequent complications. The patients in the FBS group were significantly older than those from whom stents were removed in a timely manner (71.23 vs. 62.43 years, p < 0.001). Endoscopic treatment was possible in all cases; surgery was not required in any case. The most common cause of FBSs cited by patients was not having been informed about the need for long-term management of their stents (n = 14, 29.2%) Conclusion: FBSs are potentially problematic particularly in elderly patients. Communication with the patient to remind them of the need for stent management is important for preventing FBSs.

Cholecystectomy-Associated Complications in Kidney Transplant Recipients Compared With the General Population.

Cholelithiasis is one of the most prevalent diseases in the general population. Among kidney transplant (KT) recipients, atypical clinical presentation may delay the diagnosis and proper treatment. This single-center retrospective cohort study compared cholelithiasis clinical presentation and cholecystectomy-associated complications in 230 KT recipients and in 172 members of the general population. KT recipients had a higher proportion of men, comorbidities, biliary pancreatitis, choledocholithiasis, and acute cholecystitis clinical presentations than the general population. KT recipients presented higher American Society of Anesthesiologists scores and higher rates of emergency surgeries (15.7% vs 9.9%, P = .091), conversion (5.7% vs 1.2%, P = .019), drainage (7.8% vs 2.3%, P = .016), postoperative complications (10% vs 4.7%, P = .047), and longer hospital length of stay (1 vs 1 days, interquartile range, 2 vs 0 days; P < .001). There were 5 deaths, all of which occurred in KT recipients. History of diabetes mellitus, renal function, and surgical conversion were independent risk factors associated with postoperative complications. Male sex and level of renal function were independent risk factors associated with postoperative acute cholecystitis. KT was an independent risk factor associated with postoperative choledocholithiasis (adjusted odds ratio, 5.89; 95% confidence interval, 3.03-15.66) and pancreatitis (adjusted odds ratio, 6.89; 95% confidence interval, 2.99-11.61). In conclusion, KT recipients with cholelithiasis have an increased risk for clinical and surgical complications compared with the general population.