Surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis in patients with confirmed COVID-19: Ten case reports and review of literature.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Research concerning postoperative outcomes of confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients revealed unfavorable postoperative results with increased morbidity, pulmonary complications and mortality. Case reports have suggested that COVID-19 is associated with more aggressive presentation of acute cholecystitis. The aim of the present study is to describe the perioperative assessment and postoperative outcomes of ten patients with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection with concomitant acute cholecystitis who underwent cholecystectomy. CASE SUMMARY: We report a total of 10 SARS-CoV-2 positive patients with concomitant acute cholecystitis that underwent cholecystectomy. Six patients were males, the mean age was 47.1 years. Nine patients had moderate acute cholecystitis, and one patient had severe acute cholecystitis. All patients were treated with urgent/early laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Regarding the Parkland grading scale, two patients received a Parkland grade of 3, two patients received a Parkland grade of 4, and six patients received a Parkland grade of 5. Eight patients required a bail-out procedure. Four patients developed biliary leakage and required endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography with biliary sphincterotomy. After surgery, five patients developed acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) and required intensive care unit (ICU) admission. One patient died after cholecystectomy due to ARDS complications. The mean total length of stay (LOS) was 18.2 d. The histopathology demonstrated transmural necrosis (n = 5), vessel obliteration with ischemia (n = 3), perforation (n = 3), and acute peritonitis (n = 10). CONCLUSION: COVID-19 patients with acute cholecystitis had difficult cholecystectomies, high rates of ICU admission, and a prolonged LOS.