Point-of-Care Ultrasound Diagnosis of A Post-Cholecystectomy Abscess

[Risk factors of local infection after cholecystectomy and criteria of smooth postoperative period]

OBJECTIVE

To identify the criteria of smooth postoperative period after cholecystectomy and risk factors of local surgical infection.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

A prospective analysis included 680 patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. We assessed incidence and risk factors of infectious complications. Major markers of acute inflammation, ultrasonic features of surgical site in early postoperative period were analyzed.

RESULTS

Postoperative infectious complications developed in 35 patients (5.1%). All studied risk factors except an age (obesity, cardiorespiratory diseases, surgery time over 150 min, violation of the principles of antibiotic therapy, intraoperative blood loss over 50 ml, drainage time over 5 days) significantly affected the development of infectious complications. Surgery time over 150 min and violation of the principles of antibiotic therapy were the most significant factors. Serum procalcitonin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were characterized by the highest prognostic value on the 3^rd postoperative day. Threshold values were defined.

CONCLUSION

Surgery time and violation of the rules of antibiotic prophylaxis were the most significant risk factors of postoperative infectious complications. We determined the criteria of smooth postoperative period: procalcitonin <1.5 mg/l, C-reactive protein <50 mg/l, erythrocyte sedimentation rate <39 mm/h, ultrasonic pattern of hypoechoic accumulation within the bed of the bladder (dimension <10 mm) without signs of intestinal insufficiency, abdominal or subhepatic effusion on the 3^rd day after surgery.