Evaluating the timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis in an experienced center based on propensity score matching

Validation of a surgical difficulty grading system in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis

BACKGROUND

The surgical difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis varies from case to case, and appropriate intraoperative evaluation would help prevent bile duct injury (BDI).

METHODS

We analyzed 178 patients who underwent LC for acute cholecystitis. Expert surgeons and trainees individually evaluated the surgical difficulty. The inter-rater agreement was analyzed using Conger's κ and Gwet's agreement coefficient (AC). Furthermore, we analyzed the predictive surgical difficulty item for performing subtotal cholecystectomy (STC).

RESULTS

Regarding the inter-rater agreement between expert surgeons and trainees, 15 of the 17 surgical difficulty items had a Gwet's AC of 0.5 or higher, indicating "moderate" agreement or higher. Furthermore, the highest and total surgical difficulty scores were deemed "substantial" agreement. Scarring and dense fibrotic changes around the Calot's triangle area with easy bleeding with/without necrotic changes were predictive of whether STC should be performed.

CONCLUSIONS

This surgical difficulty grading system is expected to be a tool that can be used by any surgeon with LC experience. STC should be performed to prevent BDI according to the changes around the Calot's triangle area.

Mortality risk estimation in acute calculous cholecystitis: beyond the Tokyo Guidelines

BACKGROUND

Acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) is the second most frequent surgical condition in emergency departments. The recommended treatment is the early laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, the Tokyo Guidelines (TG) advocate for different initial treatments in some subgroups of patients without a strong evidence that all patients will benefit from them. There is no clear consensus in the literature about who is the unfit patient for surgical treatment. The primary aim of the study is to identify the risk factors for mortality in ACC and compare them with Tokyo Guidelines (TG) classification.

METHODS

Retrospective unicentric cohort study of patients emergently admitted with and ACC during 1 January 2011 to 31 December 2016. The study comprised 963 patients. Primary outcome was the mortality after the diagnosis. A propensity score method was used to avoid confounding factors comparing surgical treatment and non-surgical treatment.

RESULTS

The overall mortality was 3.6%. Mortality was associated with older age (68 + IQR 27 vs. 83 + IQR 5.5; P = 0.001) and higher Charlson Comorbidity Index (3.5 + 5.3 vs. 0+2; P = 0.001). A logistic regression model isolated four mortality risk factors (ACME): chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (OR 4.66 95% CI 1.7-12.8 P = 0.001), dementia (OR 4.12; 95% CI 1.34-12.7, P = 0.001), age > 80 years (OR 1.12: 95% CI 1.02-1.21, P = 0.001) and the need of preoperative vasoactive amines (OR 9.9: 95% CI 3.5-28.3, P = 0.001) which predicted the mortality in a 92% of the patients. The receiver operating characteristic curve yielded an area of 88% significantly higher that 68% (P = 0.003) from the TG classification. When comparing subgroups selected using propensity score matching with the same morbidity and severity of ACC, mortality was higher in the non-surgical treatment group. (26.2% vs. 10.5%).

CONCLUSIONS

Mortality was higher in ACC patients treated with non-surgical treatment. ACME identifies high-risk patients. The validation to ACME with a prospective multicenter study population could allow us to create a new alternative guideline to TG for treating ACC.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

Retrospectively registered and recorded in Clinical Trials. NCT04744441.

Percutaneous cholecystostomy for severe (Tokyo 2013 stage III) acute cholecystitis

PURPOSES

To evaluate the impact of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) on severe acute cholecystitis (AC).

METHODS

According to the ICD-9 classification, we retrospectively retrieved medical records of patients discharged with a diagnosis of AC from January 2007 to December 2016 at our hospital. Patients were then stratified according to the Tokyo 2013 (TG 13) AC severity criteria. Grade III AC was diagnosed according to the TG 13 criteria. Indications for PC were failure of optimal medical treatment within 48 h, worsening of clinical condition within early medical treatment, patients unfit for upfront surgery and patient's preference. Ascites was considered a contraindication to PC while coagulopathy was considered a minor contraindication. Primary end points were: clinical improvement, morbidity and related mortality. Secondary endpoints were AC recurrences and elective laparoscopic cholecystectomies (LS). Response was evaluated by clinical and blood test improvement. Morbidity was evaluated according to the Dindo-Clavien scale.

RESULTS

A total of 117 eligible patients were diagnosed as grade III AC. Of these, 29 (24.7%) underwent PC. The procedure was completed in all cases. Overall morbidity rate was 20.6%. Main complication was the drainage dislodgement due to involuntary patient's movement. Overall mortality was 17.2% but no causes of death were dependent upon the procedure. Clinical improvement was reported in 95.5% of surviving patients.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms that PC is a valuable tool in the treatment of severe AC. Randomized trials are needed to clarify the criteria for patient selection and to optimize the timing for both cholecystostomy and cholecystectomy.