Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard treatment for benign gallbladder disease. A bailout procedure is recommended for patients with severe inflammation. This study identified the preoperative factors that predict bailout procedures and developed a predictive nomogram.

A total of 1,898 patients with laparoscopic cholecystectomy from 5 institutions (2015-2020) were divided into training (n = 1,518) and validation (n = 380) sets. Logistic regression was employed to predict bailout procedures and to develop a nomogram on the basis of the training set. The accuracy of the nomogram was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curve analysis of the validation set. Postoperative outcomes were compared between qualified surgeons certified by the Japanese Society for Endoscopic Surgery and residents who had graduated from a medical university within the past 5 years.

Bailout procedures were performed in 262 (13.8%) patients. Multivariate analysis identified several significant predictors, including sex, age, gallbladder drainage, severity of acute cholecystitis, stone impaction of the gallbladder neck, and serum C-reactive protein. The nomogram achieved an area under the curve of 0.788 in the training set and 0.769 in the validation set. Intraoperative complications were significantly fewer in the qualified surgeon group than in the nonqualified surgeon group.

The nomogram aids surgeons in identifying high-risk patients and making informed decisions about bailout procedures, thereby ensuring patient safety. Involving qualified surgeons in case predicted to be difficult cholecystectomies may help prevent help to avoid intraoperative complications.

Acute cholecystitis (AC) is a prevalent condition in emergency departments (EDs). Standard care involves early laparoscopic cholecystectomy; however, in cases of delayed presentation, high surgical risk, or during situations like the COVID-19 pandemic, percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) serves as an alternative management strategy. This study reports our center's experience with PC in managing AC, providing insights from a unique geographical context.

We conducted a retrospective review of 97 patients undergoing PC operation from June 1, 2016, to January 1, 2021. The data collected included demographic details, indications for PC, clinical outcomes, ICU admissions, overall mortality, and long-term follow-up.

The cohort comprised 61.9% male patients with a mean age of 67.2 ± 15.5 years. The primary comorbidity was hypertension (83.5%), and 88.6% had an ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) score of ≥ III. The main cause of AC was calculous type, and 15.2% of cases were acalculous cholecystitis. Main Tokyo Guidelines 18 (TG 18) grade was grade II and was found in 56.4% of patients. The readmission rate was 33.1% and overall mortality rate was 34% during follow-up. The native population in Qatar were older and burdened with more co-morbidities. High risk of surgery was the main indication for PC, followed by delayed presentation of AC. Patients with delayed presentations were younger (p = 0.051), had higher albumin levels (p = 0.005), and had lower ICU admission rates (p = 0.002) and mortality (p = 0.014) than those with multiple comorbidities. The overall Mortality rates post-PC were 34%, predominantly attributed to underlying conditions rather than the PC procedure itself. Patients who proceeded to post-PC cholecystectomy were younger, had higher albumin levels, and experienced fewer readmissions (p < 0.05).

In high-risk patients or when surgical risk is prohibitive, PC is a viable and effective alternative for AC management. Post-PC cholecystectomy was associated with favorable outcomes, suggesting PC as a bridge to surgery in selected patients. This study highlights the role of PC in a high-risk population within our regional setting.

We performed a retrospective comparative study to clarify the optimal gallbladder drainage method prior to elective cholecystectomy.

We collected data from the Diagnosis Procedure Combination database about cholecystitis patients who underwent gallbladder drainage prior to cholecystectomy in a subsequent hospitalization between April 2014 and March 2020. We divided the study population into two groups: an endoscopic gallbladder stenting (EGBS) group and a percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) group. We performed propensity score matching and compared surgical outcomes related to cholecystectomy.

We collected 6306 cases (PTGBD: 6112 cases; EGBS: 194 cases). In propensity score matching, we obtained 193 matched pairs from the study population. Long-term postoperative antibiotics therapy (2 vs. 9; risk ratio 4.7 [95% CI: 1.1-30.9]) was more frequent in the EGBS group than the PTGBD group. There were no significant differences between the two groups for laparotomic cholecystectomy and postoperative bile duct drainage. For reoperation, postoperative abdominal drainage and postoperative blood transfusion, there were few outcome occurrences and effect measures were not obtained.

Gallbladder drainage by EGBS may have more risk of surgical complications related to elective cholecystectomy than PTGBD. There are a few reports on this topic, so further research should be conducted.

Minimally invasive image-guided surgery heavily relies on vision. Deep learning models for surgical video analysis can support surgeons in visual tasks such as assessing the critical view of safety (CVS) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy, potentially contributing to surgical safety and efficiency. However, the performance, reliability, and reproducibility of such models are deeply dependent on the availability of data with high-quality annotations. To this end, we release Endoscapes2023, a dataset comprising 201 laparoscopic cholecystectomy videos with regularly spaced frames annotated with segmentation masks of surgical instruments and hepatocystic anatomy, as well as assessments of the criteria defining the CVS by three trained surgeons following a public protocol. Endoscapes2023 enables the development of models for object detection, semantic and instance segmentation, and CVS prediction, contributing to safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

A duplicated gall bladder is a rare congenital biliary anomaly, with an incidence rate estimated between 1 in 4000-1 in 5000. It may present with no apparent symptoms or can manifest as biliary colic or symptoms related to pancreatitis. The Harlaftis classification system is widely used for categorising duplicated gall bladders: type I is the split primordial gallbladder, which includes the septated, V-shaped and Y-shaped varieties; type II is the accessory gall bladder type, encompassing the H-shaped or tubular and trabecular types and type III is the triplicated gall bladder type. Prophylactic surgical treatment is not recommended for asymptomatic duplicated gall bladders. However, for symptomatic cases, surgical resection remains the treatment of choice, and intraoperative cholangiography can help reduce the risk of bile duct injury. This article reports a case of a 59-year-old female patient in whom a duplicated gall bladder anomaly was not detected preoperatively but was found intraoperatively. The patient successfully underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the post-operative pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of duplicated gall bladder anomaly.

There are few reported outcomes of treatment of acute cholecystitis incorporating current guidelines for gallbladder dissection techniques and use of percutaneous tube cholecystostomy (PCT). The authors hypothesize PCT allows regression of peritoneal inflammation, but infundibular inflammation is increased at interval cholecystectomy, resulting in greater requirement for advanced dissection techniques.

Between December 2009 and July 2023, 1222 patients were admitted with acute cholecystitis and ultimately underwent cholecystectomy. Of these 1222 patients, there were 876 patients that underwent urgent (within 10 days) cholecystectomy (UrgSurg), 170 patients underwent interval cholecystectomy (10 or more days) after antibiotic therapy (IntMed), and 175 patients that underwent PCT and interval cholecystectomy (IntTube). Minimally invasive operation was attempted in all patients. Patient demographics, comorbidities, surgical techniques (Critical View of Safety (CVS), infundibulum down, fundus-down, subtotal fenestrating, subtotal reconstituting, and conversion to open operation), and surgical outcomes were reviewed retrospectively. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify if interval cholecystectomy was independently associated with more advanced dissection techniques or reinterventions.

Compared to the UrgSurg and IntMed patients, IntTube patients were significantly older (Median: 60 vs 66 vs 68, P < 0.001) and more often male (41.7% vs 47.6% vs 72.2%, P < 0.001). Additionally, IntTube patients were more likely to have medical comorbidities. Establishment of CVS was significantly less frequent in IntTube patients (61%) compared to UrgSurg patients (86%) and IntMed patients (85.9%) in unadjusted analysis (OR 0.26, P < 0.001) and in multivariable analysis after adjusting for potential confounders (OR 0.31, P < 0.001). There was no incidence of biliary injury, and no difference in rates of biliary reintervention among groups.

Interval Cholecystectomy after PCT is independently associated with a lower rate of achieving CVS, and higher rate of requirement for advanced cholecystectomy dissection techniques. We report a low rate of complications using current guidelines for minimally invasive surgery for both urgent and interval cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

The surgical difficulty of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for acute cholecystitis (AC) and the risk of bile duct injury (BDI) depend on the degree of fibrosis and scarring caused by inflammation; therefore, understanding these intraoperative findings is crucial to preventing BDI. Scarring makes it particularly difficult to perform safely and increases the BDI risk. This study aimed to develop an artificial intelligence (AI) system to indicate intraoperative findings of scarring in LC for AC.

An AI system was developed to detect scarred areas using an algorithm for semantic segmentation based on deep learning. The training dataset consisted of 2025 images extracted from LC videos of 21 cases with AC. External evaluation committees (EEC) evaluated the AI system on 20 cases of untrained data from other centers. EECs evaluated the accuracy in identifying the scarred area and the usefulness of the AI system, which were assessed based on annotation and a 5-point Likert-scale questionnaire.

The average DICE coefficient for scarred areas between AI detection and EEC annotation was 0.612. The EEC's average detection accuracy on the Likert scale was 3.98 ± 0.76. AI systems were rated as relatively useful for both clinical and educational applications.

We developed an AI system to detect scarred areas in LC for AC. Since scarring increases the surgical difficulty, this AI system has the potential to reduce BDI.

Postoperative pain following laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is a major concern. The transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) is one of the anesthetic techniques that has been developed to address this issue. The TAPB can be delivered by the guidance of either ultrasound (UTAPB) or laparoscopic (LTAPB). Our aim is to compare the efficacy of these guidance methods in reducing postoperative pain after LC.

A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases from inception to June 2024 for randomized studies comparing the delivery of TAPB under ultrasound and laparoscopic guidance. Data analysis was conducted using Review Manager V5.4.

Five randomized studies were included in our study. UTAPB was significantly more effective in reducing postoperative pain after 6 h compared to LTAPB (MD =  - 0.38, 95% CI, - 0.67 to 0.09, p = 0.01). However, UTAPB was insignificantly more effective than LTAPB in reducing postoperative pain after 12 h (MD =  - 0.14, 95% CI, - 0.44 to 0.17, p = 0.39), 24 h (MD =  - 0.09, 95% CI, - 0.41 to 0.23, p = 0.60), and 48 h (MD =  - 0.12, 95% CI, - 0.44 to 0.19, p = 0.44). UTAPB insignificantly resulted in decreased opioid consumption (SMD: - 0.09; 95% CI: - 0.42, 0.25; p = 0.62) and less postoperative nausea and vomiting (OR = 0.73, 95% CI, 0.21 to 2.51, p = 0.62) in comparison with LTAPB.

Ultrasound guidance of TAPB offers superior pain relief in the setting of LC, especially in the early postoperative period. Further trials are needed to prove and support the results.

Cholecystectomy (CCY) is the standard treatment for acute cholecystitis. For non-surgical patients, percutaneous cholecystostomy tube (PT-GBD) is recommended but is associated with high readmission rates and poor quality of life. Endoscopic gallbladder decompression techniques, including endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ET-GBD) and endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage (EUS-GBD), are alternatives. Studies comparing ET-GBD and EUS-GBD have shown EUS-GBD to have superior outcomes. However, these studies assessed ET-GBD mostly via single transcystic stent placement (SSET-GBD). This study aimed to compare outcomes of dual transcystic stents (DSET-GBD) and EUS-GBD in non-surgical candidates with acute cholecystitis.

A multicenter analysis was conducted on patients who underwent ET-GBD or EUS-GBD between January 2019 and January 2023. Data were extracted from electronic medical records and outcomes including technical success, success, adverse events (AEs), and recurrence rates of cholecystitis were measured.

Of 129 procedures (56 EUS-GBD; 73 ET-GBD), technical success was achieved in 87.5% of EUS-GBD and 86.3% of ET-GBD attempts. Immediate clinical success was achieved in 98.1% for EUS-GBD and 100% for DSET-GBD. AE rates were similar between the groups. Recurrent cholecystitis rates were 5.3% for EUS-GBD and 8.2% for DSET-GBD ( P = 0.692).

This study demonstrates that DSET-GBD has similarly low rates of recurrent acute cholecystitis compared with EUS-GBD. DSET-GBD should be considered as an alternative management strategy for management of acute cholecystitis in patients who are unable to undergo CCY.

The advantages of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence cholangiography have been emphasized, but its disadvantages remain unclear. This study investigated the advantages and disadvantages of this modality, particularly the optimal timing of administration of ICG fluorescence.

This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected patient data.

Data were gathered from a single institution.

69 patients scheduled for cholecystectomy were included.

We administered intravenous ICG injections at three different times: preoperatively (5 mg/body weight (BW), 15 min before incision), morning of the surgery (12.5 mg/BW 4 hours before surgery), and on the day before the surgery (25 mg/BW, 20 hours before surgery). The PINPOINT or SPY-PHI (Stryker) systems were used for fluorescence imaging.

The course of the common bile and cystic ducts was identified using fluorescence imaging. The visualization quality was graded on a three-point scale: good, poor, and unobservable.

There were 17 patients for preoperative administration, 14 on the morning of the surgery, and 38 on the day before the surgery. The cystic duct could not be visualized in five patients because of insufficient dose, impacted gallstones, cystic duct stones, after endoscopic retrograde biliary drainage (ERBD), and severe cholecystitis. The observations were poor in 14 patients. The reasons for the poor visualization were cholecystitis after ERBD and a low signal-to-noise ratio due to intense light emission from the liver, which is a characteristic of preoperative administration.

The cystic and common bile ducts were well visualized using ICG fluorescence cholangiography, except in patients with impacted gallstones, cystic duct stones, ERBD, and severe cholecystitis. The most effective timing for ICG administration was the day before the surgery. ICG fluorescence cholangiography is not a substitute for intraoperative cholangiography or preoperative biliary imaging; however, it would be desirable in all patients who undergo cholecystectomy.

jRCTs041180006.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) remains the gold standard procedure for the management of benign gallbladder disease. Recognizing the need to mitigate complications, mainly bile duct injury (BDI), various techniques for ductal identification during LC have emerged, including the "Critical View of Safety" (CVS) and the infundibular technique (IT). In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we assess and compare the outcomes of both techniques, with a primary focus on evaluating their impact on BDIs. A comprehensive search was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases. The search focused on the surgical technique, incidences of minor and major BDIs, operative time, conversion rate, and length of stay, among patients undergoing LC for benign gallbladder disease. Our initial search retrieved 264 studies. After screening the unique studies against our predefined inclusion/exclusion criteria, only five met our criteria and were included. Additionally, a manual search identified eight more relevant studies, bringing the total number of included studies to 13. The total number of included patients was 4,837. Approximately two-thirds underwent LC using the CVS approach (61.1%), and 66.3% were female, with a mean age of 44.4 ± 11.2 years. The CVS approach was associated with a significant reduction in overall BDIs (RR = 0.36; 95% CI 0.18-0.71) and major BDIs (RR = 0.28; 95% CI 0.13-0.63). However, there were no significant differences in terms of minor BDIs, operative time, conversion rates, or length of stay. Our study demonstrated the superiority of the CVS approach in terms of reducing the incidence of overall and major BDIs compared to IT. However, our study revealed no other significant differences between the two techniques. Further research, including multicentric randomized controlled trials, will be necessary to further evaluate the efficacy of these techniques.

Cholelithiasis is increasing in the pediatric population, and there are currently no guidelines for the management of asymptomatic patients with both cholelithiasis and a predisposing condition. This study seeks to highlight situations where prophylactic cholecystectomy may be desirable. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of children who underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy between October 2011 and September 2022. Thirty-two patients were included in the study. Five different groups of patients were identified based on associated pathologies. Twenty-six patients were symptomatic (81.25%), and six were asymptomatic (18.75%). All patients underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Hematologic and cystic fibrosis patients with asymptomatic cholelithiasis had a shorter length of hospital stay than patients with the same condition who progressed from asymptomatic to symptomatic gallstone disease. Consequently, patients with associated diseases (particularly hematologic diseases and cystic fibrosis) may benefit from early laparoscopic cholecystectomy, which could reduce the probability of surgical difficulties and shorten the length of hospital stay.

Biliary and pancreatic tract stenosis are hallmark symptoms in pancreaticobiliary diseases, transcending malignancy. Endoscopic techniques are pivotal for biliary/pancreatic drainage; however, challenging scenarios arise when attempting to pass a guidewire (GW) through obstruction. Cholangioscopy-assisted GW placement has proven valuable, but challenges persist in its execution, particularly in maneuvering the GW through cholangioscopy. Therefore, we explored the integration of a 3-Fr microcatheter into cholangioscopy with the aim of enhancing direct visualization and offering a super-selective approach. When GW manipulation under a digital single-operator cholangioscope (D-SOC) guidance was still unsuccessful in a resistant obstruction, the 3-Fr microcatheter was introduced. This technique was performed in 42 individuals for 37 biliary and 5 pancreatic duct drainages, among which there were 19 malignant, 18 benign, and 4 anastomotic obstructions. In all patients, contrast-filled cholangiography in the target area couldn't be achieved at the pre-microcatheter insertion stage due to obstruction. The technical success rate was 85.7% overall, 89.5% in malignant strictures, 84.2% in benign strictures, and 75.0% in anastomotic obstructions, resulting in a clinical success rate of 78.6%. The use of a 3-Fr microcatheter appears effective for endoscopic drainage performed for obstruction. This technique could pave the way for improved outcomes in patients with pancreaticobiliary diseases.

Background: The most common therapy for gallstones is laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). How to help young residents avoid bile duct injuries (BDI) during surgery and grasp LC seems to be a paradox. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 145 cases of LC operated by two residents under indocyanine green (ICG)-guided mode or normal LC procedures to illustrate the role of ICG mode in boosting the LC learning curve. The clinic data were analyzed by logistic regression, receiver operator curve tests, Cumulative Sum (CUSUM), and Risk-Adjusted Cumulative Sum (RA-CUSUM) analysis. Results: The operation failure rate is similar. However, operation time under ICG mode is shorter than that under normal mode. The peak at the 49th case represented the normal resident's complete mastery of the surgery, while the peak point of ICG mode appeared at the 36th case in the fitting curve. The most significant cumulative risk (peak point) of operation failure of LC was at the 35th case in ICG LC mode, while it appeared in the 49th in normal LC mode. Conclusions: Owing to the advantage of real-time imaging and the stable success rate of cholangiography, ICG-guided LC helps residents shorten the operation time, boost the learning curve, and manage to control the operation failure rate.

For difficult cholecystectomies, bail out procedures (BOP) are performed to mitigate risk of patient harm.

This study sought to identify risk factors for BOP for acute cholecystitis and to compare outcomes by type of BOP performed. Methods: Patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent cholecystectomy were included (2020-2022). Demographics, clinical data, and outcomes were collected. Primary outcome was <30-day complication rate. Groups were defined by surgery performed: BOP vs Laparoscopic Complete Cholecystectomy (LCC). BOPs were defined as any deviation from laparoscopic complete cholecystectomy. Univariate analyses compared outcomes between groups. Multivariable analysis identified independent factors associated with BOP. Subgroup analysis compared outcomes of laparoscopic BOP vs open BOP.

Of 728 patients, 659 (91%) underwent LCC and 69 (9%) underwent BOP: 34 (49%) laparoscopic BOP and 35 (51%) open BOP. Independent predictors of BOP included admission total bilirubin >0.2 mg/dL (OR 5.80, P = .017), >7 days of symptoms at time of cholecystectomy (OR 1.96, P = .019), and arrival heart rate >100 bpm (OR 1.82, P = .032). On subgroup analysis, laparoscopic vs open BOP demonstrated no difference in operative time (P = .536) and overall (P = .733) or gallbladder-related complications (P = .364), including bile leaks (P = .090). Laparoscopic BOP was associated with shorter postoperative lengths of stay (P = .005).

The risk factors for BOP identified in this study may help inform patient consent and operative planning. Laparoscopic BOP incurred equivalent complications to open BOP but with shorter hospital stays, challenging conventional dogma that conversion to open is the optimal approach for complicated acute cholecystitis.

Japan currently has a super-aged society, with a rapid increase in elderly patients in need of medical care. Determining treatment strategies for acute cholecystitis (AC) in very elderly patients with various comorbidities is often difficult. Although percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is a less-invasive treatment option, its impact on subsequent surgery remains debatable. This study investigated the validity of PC as a bridge to surgery in very elderly patients with AC.

Of 215 patients who underwent cholecystectomy for AC at our hospital, we retrospectively investigated 83 patients aged ≥80 years-53 and 30 who underwent upfront surgery (US) and PC before surgery, respectively-to assess the treatment strategies and clinical course.

The PC group had a significantly worse systemic status at diagnosis than the US group, including age, severity grading, comorbidities, performance status, systemic inflammatory status, and blood coagulation abnormalities, which improved after PC. The elective surgery rate was significantly higher in the PC group than in the US group. Despite the high number of severe cases in the PC group, surgical quality indicators, including the conversion rate to open surgery, operative time, blood loss, and critical view of safety achievement rate, tended to be better in the PC group, without severe perioperative complications.

PC followed by cholecystectomy improves preoperative conditions, including systemic inflammation status and blood coagulation abnormalities, in very elderly patients, allowing safe elective surgical treatment while securing the quality of surgery and clinical outcomes.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy with ultrasonic dissection presents a compelling alternative to conventional electrocautery. The evidence for elective cholecystectomy supports the adoption of ultrasonic dissection, citing advantages such as reduced operating time, diminished bleeding, shorter hospital stays and decreased postoperative pain and nausea. However, the efficacy of this procedure in emergency surgery and patients diagnosed with acute cholecystitis remains uncertain. The aim of this study was to compare outcomes of electrocautery and ultrasonic dissection in patients with acute cholecystitis.

A randomized, parallel, double-blinded, multicentre controlled trial was conducted across eight Swedish hospitals. Eligible participants were individuals aged ≥ 18 years with acute cholecystitis lasting ≤ 7 days. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed in the emergency setting as soon as local circumstances permitted. Random allocation to electrocautery or ultrasonic dissection was performed in a 1:1 ratio. The primary endpoint was the total complication rate, analysed using an intention-to-treat approach. The primary outcome was analysed using logistic generalized estimated equations. Patients, postoperative caregivers, and follow-up personnel were blinded to group assignment.

From September 2019 to March 2023, 300 patients were enrolled and randomly assigned to electrocautery dissection (n = 148) and ultrasonic dissection (n = 152). No significant difference in complication rate was observed between the groups (risk difference [RD] 1.6%, 95% confidence interval [CI], - 7.2% to 10.4%, P = 0.720). No significant disparities in operating time, conversion rate, hospital stay or readmission rates between the groups were noted. Haemostatic agents were more frequently used in electrocautery dissection (RD 10.6%, 95% CI, 1.3% to 19.8%, P = 0.025).

Ultrasonic dissection and electrocautery dissection demonstrate comparable risks for complications in emergency surgery for patients with acute cholecystitis. Ultrasonic dissection is a viable alternative to electrocautery dissection or can be used as a complementary method in laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

The trial was registered prior to conducting the research on http://clinical.

gov , NCT03014817.

Minimally invasive laparoscopic cholecystectomy is among the most frequently performed abdominal surgeries. Bile duct injury is a significative complication that occurs in about 0.2-0.3% of open procedures and 0.5% of laparoscopic surgeries, with concomitant vasculobiliary injuries in 12-61% of cases. Most of these lesions occurs during challenging severe cholecystitis where the intense inflammation obscures the hepatocystic anatomy. In this case a bailout strategy such as a subtotal cholecystectomy should be considered. Subtotal cholecystectomy is a surgical technique performed to remove a portion of the gallbladder while leaving part of it behind. In such complex cholecystectomies, surgeons should be aware of this technique, and subtotal cholecystectomy should be part of their surgical armamentarium. We aim to familiarize surgeons with bailout techniques like subtotal cholecystectomy and gallbladder emptying for challenging acute cholecystectomy cases to reduce the risk of vasculobiliary injury. This multimedia article provides, a comprehensive step-by-step overview of the different possible minimally invasive subtotal cholecystectomy procedures, we outline five distinct techniques for conducting subtotal cholecystectomy, including some tips and tricks and demonstrates the usefulness of a minimally invasive approach. Finally, we emphasize the importance of carefully choosing between laparoscopic and robotic approaches and suggests using adjunctive tools, such as preoperative indocyanine green, to better identify common bile duct anatomy.

Acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) and acute biliary pancreatitis (ABP) are significant complications of gallstone disease. This review aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of current management practices for ACC and ABP. The Tokyo Guidelines (TG) and World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) guidelines recommend early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) as the treatment of choice for ACC. High-risk patients may benefit from alternative treatments like biliary drainage, with emerging techniques such as endoscopic drainage showing promise. ABP requires prompt diagnosis and intervention. The Revised Atlanta Classification (RAC) criteria are used for diagnosis, with endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and cholecystectomy as primary treatments. Minimally invasive approaches are preferred for managing complications like infected pancreatic necrosis, with the endoscopic step-up method showing superior outcomes. The management of ACC and ABP continues to evolve. Future research is needed to refine guidelines further and address existing controversies, ultimately improving patient outcomes in these acute biliary conditions.

Recently, bail-out cholecystectomy (BOC) during laparoscopic cholecystectomy to avoid severe complications, such as vasculobiliary injury, has become widely used and increased in prevalence. However, current predictive factors or scoring systems are insufficient. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to test the validity of existing scoring systems and determine a suitable cutoff value for predicting BOC.

We retrospectively assessed 305 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy and divided them into a total cholecystectomy group (n = 265) and a BOC group (n = 40). Preoperative and operative findings were collected, and cutoff values for the existing scoring systems (Kama's and Nassar's) were modified using a prospectively maintained database.

The BOC rate was 13% with no severe complications. A logistic regression analysis revealed that the Kama's score (odds ratio, 0.93; 95% confidence interval 0.91-0.96; P < 0.01) was an independent predictor of BOC. A cutoff value of 6.5 points gave an area under the curve of 0.81, with a sensitivity of 87% and a specificity of 67%.

Kama's difficulty scoring system with a modified cutoff value (6.5 points) is effective for predicting BOC.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a standard minimally invasive technique for the treatment in gallstone disease. In difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomies, bailout strategies have been developed of which the fundus-first technique is one. The present study aims to compare the outcomes of the fundus-first technique against the standard laparoscopic approach in managing difficult cholecystectomy cases by focusing on intraoperative factors such as bleeding, bile duct injury, operative time, and postoperative complications like biliary leakage.

A prospective comparative study was conducted over a period of two years (June 2022-May 2024) with 200 consecutive patients. All patients were classified as difficult cases based on the Tokyo 2018 guidelines. Detailed data collection included patient history, physical examination, laboratory investigations, and operative findings. The study's follow-up period was six weeks.

The fundus-first technique demonstrated significant advantages, with a reduction in operative time, fewer intraoperative complications, and better operative outcomes compared to the standard approach. Patients in the fundus-first group had a mean operative time of 91.50 minutes as compared to 143.75 minutes in the standard group (p < 0.001) and 88% completed operative outcome vs 51%(p < 0.001). No significant differences were observed in postoperative complications such as bile leakage and bleeding between the two groups.

The fundus-first technique offers a safer and more efficient alternative to the standard approach in difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy cases. By allowing better access to Calot's triangle, this method proves to be an effective bailout strategy, despite its steep learning curve. Further studies are needed to validate these findings and explore the broader application of the fundus-first technique in gallbladder surgeries.

Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) in the setting of acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) requires to be performed by highly-skilled surgeons to avoid complications. The purpose of this study is to identify preoperative factors that would predict difficult ELC among patients with ACC prior to proceeding with surgery.

We retrospectively reviewed all patients who received ELC within 10 days from the onset of symptoms of ACC between August 1, 2018, and December 31, 2022. They were divided into 2 groups according to the difficulty of surgery.

149 patients with ACC received ELC during the study period. ELC was considered difficult in 52 patients (35%). Five preoperative factors were identified as significant predictors of difficult ELC (DELC) on multivariate analysis: duration of acute attack ≥ 4 days from the onset of symptoms till surgery (OR 34.4, P < 0.001), ultrasound showing largest gallstone size > 20 mm (OR 20.2, P = 0.029), ultrasound showing gallstone impaction in Hartmann's pouch (OR 7.2, P = 0.017), history of prior episode(s) of acute attack (OR 6.8, P = 0.048), and diabetes mellitus (OR 5.8, P = 0.046).

Careful preoperative assessment of patients with ACC is crucial among junior surgeons with limited surgical expertise prior to proceeding with ELC to identify those at risk of DELC to potentially reduce postoperative morbidity and mortality. If encountered, a management plan should be made, and surgery should proceed only upon confirming the availability of experienced surgeons in the field of biliary and laparoscopic surgery to supervise or assist in the procedure. Alternatively, such group of patients should rather be transferred to more advanced surgical centers which offer higher level of care to maintain patient safety and optimal surgical outcomes. More importantly, bail-out procedures should always be resorted to whenever DELC is encountered intraoperatively to prevent further surgical damage.

There has been a progressive increase in the use of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) in acute cholecystitis (AC) over the last decades due to population aging, and the support of guidelines (Tokyo Guidelines (TG), World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) Guidelines) as a valid therapeutical option. However, there are many unanswered questions about the management of PCs. An international consensus on indications and PC management using Delphi methodology with contributions from experts from three surgical societies (EAHPBA, ANS, WSES) have been performed.

A two-round Delphi consensus, which included 27 questions, was sent to key opinion leaders in AC. Participants were asked to indicate their 'agreement/disagreement' using a 5-point Likert scale. Survey items with less than 70% consensus were excluded from the second round. For inclusion in the final recommendations, each survey item had to have reached a group consensus (≥ 70% agreement) by the end of the two survey rounds.

54 completed both rounds (82% of invitees). Six questions got > 70% and are included in consensus recommendations: In patients with acute cholecystitis, when there is a clear indication of PC, it is not necessary to wait 48 h to be carried out; Surgery is the first therapeutic option for the TG grade II acute cholecystitis in a patient suitable for surgery; Before PC removal a cholangiography should be done; There is no indication for PC in Tokyo Guidelines (TG) grade I patients; Transhepatic approach is the route of choice for PC; and after PC, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the preferred approach (93.1%).

Only six statements about PC management after AC got an international consensus. An international guideline about the management of PCs are necessary.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) is the gold standard for patients with acute cholecystitis at early period. However, 15%-20% of patients with acute cholecystitis develop obstructive jaundice, cholangitis and bile duct stones ultimately requiring endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In such cases, a two-session approach is usually recommended, first ERCP followed by LC thereafter. However, the effect of prior ERCP on the difficulty of subsequent LC is unknown. Hence, the aim of the present study is to determine the effects of previous ERCP on the results of LC.

In this study, the files of 1500 patients who underwent LC were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into three groups (500 patients for each group). The patients undergoing LC for asymptomatic cholelithiasis were assigned to the L-e group. The patients who underwent LC for acute cholecystitis were assigned to the L-c group. The patients with acute cholecystitis who underwent ERCP first and then LC were assigned to the L-ercp group. The rates of conversion to open cholecystectomy, operation times, complication rates and hospital stays of the three groups were compared.

The results of LC performed after ERCP are similar to the results of LC for cholecystitis without ERCP in terms of operation time, hospital stay, conversion and complications.

Previous ERCP does not affect the safety and effectiveness of early LC in patients with acute cholecystitis.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most frequently performed operations by general surgeons, with up to 1 million cholecystectomies performed annually in the United States alone. Despite familiarity, common bile duct injury occurs in no less than 0.2% of cholecystectomies, with significant associated morbidity. Understanding biliary anatomy, surgical techniques, pitfalls, and bailout maneuvers is critical to optimizing outcomes when encountering the horrible gallbladder. This article describes normal and aberrant biliary anatomy, complicated cholelithiasis, ways to recognize cholecystitis, and considerations of surgical approach.

Bilothorax is a rare and poorly documented condition in the medical literature, with following hepatobiliary procedures being the most common cause. We present a case of bilothorax following endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) for choledocholithiasis.

A 71-year-old woman with a history of prior percutaneous biliary stone removals presented with Charcot's triad and was diagnosed with cholangitis due to a distal common bile duct stone. She underwent ERCP with successful stone extraction and stent placement. Two days later, she developed a right-sided pleural effusion diagnosed as a post-ERCP bilothorax. She was treated with thoracentesis and antibiotics, and her condition significantly improved. After 15 days, she was discharged, and a one-month follow-up showed no complications or recurrence.

Bile is a potent chemo irritant that can cause adhesive pleurodesis. Besides, accompanying cholangitis can lead to pleural infection and empyema. In this patient, early diagnosis leading to timely pleural drainage decisions helped avoid potential consequences.

Post-ERCP bilothorax is a rare complication but can lead to severe consequences. Nonoperative management by pleural drainage is a safe and effective strategy if diagnosis is made early, helping patients avoid more invasive interventions.

Although findings from drip infusion cholangiography with computed tomography (DIC-CT) are useful in preoperative anatomic evaluation for laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), their relationship with intraoperative surgical difficulty based on the difficulty score (DS) proposed by Tokyo Guidelines 2018 is unclear. We examined this relationship.

Data were collected from 202 patients who underwent LC for benign gallbladder (GB) disease with preoperative DIC-CT in our department. DIC-CT findings were classified into GB-positive and GB-negative groups based on GB opacification, and clinical characteristics were compared. DS assessed only on findings from around Calot's triangle was considered "cDS", and patients were divided into cDS ≤2 and ≥3 groups. Preoperative data including DIC-CT findings were evaluated using multivariate analysis.

DIC-CT findings showed 151 (74.8%) GB-positive and 51 (25.2%) GB-negative patients. Surgical outcomes were significantly better in the GB-positive versus GB-negative group for operation time (107 vs. 154 min, p < .001), blood loss (8 vs. 25 mL, p < .001), cDS (0.8 vs. 2.2, p < .001), and critical view of safety score (4.0 vs. 3.1, p < .001). cDS was ≤2 in 174 (86.1%) and ≥3 in 28 (13.9%) patients. By multivariate analysis, DIC-CT findings and alkaline phosphatase values were independent factors predicting intraoperative difficulty.

DIC-CT findings are useful for predicting cDS in LC.

To examine the use of surgical intelligence for automatically monitoring critical view of safety (CVS) in laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in a real-world quality initiative.

Surgical intelligence encompasses routine, artificial intelligence-based capture and analysis of surgical video, and connection of derived data with patient and outcomes data. These capabilities are applied to continuously assess and improve surgical quality and efficiency in real-world settings.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomies conducted at 2 general surgery departments between December 2022 and August 2023 were routinely captured by a surgical intelligence platform, which identified and continuously presented CVS adoption, surgery duration, complexity, and negative events. In March 2023, the departments launched a quality initiative aiming for 75% CVS adoption.

Two hundred seventy-nine procedures were performed during the study. Adoption increased from 39.2% in the 3 preintervention months to 69.2% in the final 3 months ( P < 0.001). Monthly adoption rose from 33.3% to 75.7%. Visualization of the cystic duct and artery accounted for most of the improvement; the other 2 components had high adoption throughout. Procedures with full CVS were shorter ( P = 0.007) and had fewer events ( P = 0.011) than those without. OR time decreased following intervention ( P = 0.033).

Surgical intelligence facilitated a steady increase in CVS adoption, reaching the goal within 6 months. Low initial adoption stemmed from a single CVS component, and increased adoption was associated with improved OR efficiency. Real-world use of surgical intelligence can uncover new insights, modify surgeon behavior, and support best practices to improve surgical quality and efficiency.

The aim of this study is to evaluate morbidity and mortality in patients taken to conversion to open procedure (CO) and subtotal laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLC) as bailout procedures when performing difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

This observational cohort study retrospectively analyzed patients taken to SLC or CO as bailout surgery during difficult laparoscopic cholecystectomy between 2014 and 2022. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression models were used to identify prognostic factors for morbimortality.

A total of 675 patients were included. Of the 675 patients (mean [SD] age 63.85 ± 16.00 years; 390 [57.7%] male) included in the analysis, 452 (67%) underwent CO and 223 (33%) underwent SLC. Overall, neither procedure had an increased risk of major complications (89 [19.69%] vs 35 [15.69%] P.207). However, CO had an increased risk of bile duct injury (18 [3.98] vs 1 [0.44] P.009), bleeding (mean [SD] 165.43 ± 368.57 vs 43.25 ± 123.42 P < .001), intestinal injury (20 [4.42%] vs 0 [0.00] P.001), and wound infection (18 [3.98%] vs 2 [0.89%] P.026), while SLC had a higher risk of bile leak (15 [3.31] vs 16 [7.17] P.024). On the multivariable analysis, Charlson comorbidity index (odds ratio [OR], 1.20; CI95%, 1.01-1.42), use of anticoagulant agents (OR, 2.56; CI95%, 1.21-5.44), classification of severity of cholecystitis grade III (OR, 2.96; CI95%, 1.48-5.94), and emergency admission (OR, 6.07; CI95%, 1.33-27.74) were associated with presenting major complications.

SLC was less associated with complications; however, there is scant evidence on its long-term outcomes. Further research is needed on SLC to establish if it is the safest in the long-term as a bailout procedure.

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is a rare chronic inflammatory disease of the gallbladder associated with complications such as perforation, dense adhesions and fistulation. We present a case of a female patient in her 20s who presented with three episodes of recurrent cholecystitis over 3 months. Her medical history included an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for obstructive jaundice due to choledocholithiasis. As there was no possibility of performing an urgent cholecystectomy during her initial admission, she was listed for an elective operation. Laparoscopic inspection revealed a pericholecystic mass involving the omentum, transverse colon, duodenum and liver and findings suspicious of a cholecystoappendiceal fistula. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy and appendicectomy were performed. Early index admission laparoscopic cholecystectomy should be performed in patients with acute cholecystitis to prevent higher grades of operative difficulty and associated complications. This case presentation-cholecystoappendiceal fistula associated with xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis-emphasises the necessity of complying with national guidelines in managing acute calculous cholecystitis.

Laparoscopic surgery is widely used in abdominal emergency surgery (AES), and the possibility of extending this approach to the more recent robotic surgery (RS) arouses great interest. The slow diffusion of robotic technology mainly due to high costs and the longer RS operative time when compared to laparoscopy may represent disincentives, especially in AES. This study aims to report our experience in the use of RS in AES assessing its safety and feasibility, with particular focus on intra- and post-operative complications, conversion rate, and surgical learning curve. Our data were also compared to other experiences though an extensive literature review.

We retrospectively analysed a single surgeon series of the last 10 years. From January 2014 to December 2023, 36 patients underwent urgent or emergency RS. The robotic devices used were Da Vinci Si (15 cases) and Xi (21 cases).

36 (4.3%) out of 834 robotic procedures were included in our analysis: 20 (56.56%) females. The mean age was 63 years and 30% of patients were ≥ 70 years. 2 (5.55%) procedures were performed at night. No conversions to open were reported in this series. According to the Clavien-Dindo classification, 2 (5.5%) major complications were collected. Intraoperative and 30-day mortality were 0%.

Our study demonstrates that RS may be a useful and reliable approach also to AES and intraoperative laparoscopic complications when performed in selected hemodynamically stable patients in very well-trained robotic centers. The technology may increase the minimally invasive use and conversion rate in emergent settings in a completely robotic or hybrid approach.

A critical view of safety (CVS) is important to ensure safe laparoscopic cholecystectomy. When the CVS is not possible, subtotal cholecystectomy is performed. While considering subtotal cholecystectomy, surgeons are often concerned about preventing bile leakage from the cystic ducts. The two main types of subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis are fenestrating and reconstituting. Previously, there were no selection criteria for these two; therefore, open conversion was performed. This study aimed to evaluate our goal-oriented approach to choose fenestrating or reconstituting subtotal cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

We introduced our goal-oriented approach in April 2019. Before introducing this approach, laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis was performed without criteria for subtotal cholecystectomy. After our approach was introduced, laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis was performed according to the subtotal cholecystectomy criteria. We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis between 2015 and 2021. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis was performed by surgeons regardless of whether they were novices or veterans.

The period from April 2015 to March 2019 was before the introduction (BI) of our approach, the period from April 2019 to December 2021 was after the introduction (AI) of our approach. There were 177 and 186 patients with acute cholecystitis during the BI and AI periods, respectively. There were no significant differences between groups in terms of preoperative characteristics, operative time, and blood loss. No difference in the laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy rate between groups (10.2% [BI] vs. 13.9% [AI]; p = 0.266) was obserbed. The open conversion rate during the BI period was significantly higher than that during the AI period (7.4% vs. 1.6%; p = 0.015).

Our goal-oriented approach is feasible, safe, and easy for many surgeons to understand.

Introduction Surgeons-in-training (SIT) perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC); however, it is challenging to complete the procedure safely in difficult cases. We present a surgical technique during difficult LC, which we named the hanging strap method. Methods We retrospectively compared the perioperative outcomes between patients undergoing difficult LC with the hanging strap method (HANGS, n = 34), and patients undergoing difficult LC without the hanging strap method (non-HANGS, n = 56) from 2022 and 2024. Difficult LC was defined as cases classified as more than grade II cholecystitis by the Tokyo Guidelines 18 and cases when LC was undergoing over five days after the onset of cholecystitis. Results The proportion of SIT with post-graduate year (PGY) ≤ 7 was significantly higher in the HANGS group than in the non-HANGS group (82.4% vs. 33.9%, P < 0.001). The overall rate of bile duct injury (BDI), postoperative bile leakage and operative mortality were zero in the whole cohort. There were no significant differences between the HANGS and non-HANGS groups in background characteristics, operative time (122 min vs. 132 min, P = 0.830) and surgical blood loss (14 mL vs. 24 mL, P = 0.533). Conclusions Our findings suggested that the hanging strap method is safe and easy to use for difficult LC. We recommend that the current method be selected as one of the surgical techniques for SIT when performing difficult LC.

We investigated the success and complication rates of endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder drainage (ETGBD) and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) and the outcomes of subsequent cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Patients (N=178) who underwent cholecystectomy after ETGBD or PTGBD were retrospectively assessed.

ETGBD was successful in 47 (85.5%) of 55 procedures, whereas PTGBD was successful in 123 (100%) of 123 sessions ( P <0.001). Complications related to ETGBD and PTGBD occurred in 6 (12.8%) of 47 and 16 (13.0%) of 123 patients, respectively ( P =0.97). After propensity matching, 43 patients from each group were selected. Median time from drainage to cholecystectomy was 48 (14 to 560) days with ETGBD and 35 (1 to 90) days with PTGBD ( P =0.004). Laparoscopy was selected more often in the ETGBD group (97.7%) than in the PTGBD group (79.1%) ( P =0.007), and conversion from laparoscopy to open cholecystectomy was more common with PTGBD (41.2%) than with ETGBD (7.1%) ( P <0.001). Mean operation time was significantly shorter with ETGBD (135.8±66.7 min) than with PTGBD (195.8±62.2 min) ( P <0.001). The incidence of Clavien-Dindo grade ≥III postoperative complications was 9.3% with ETGBD and 11.6% with PTGBD ( P =0.99).

The success rate is lower but completion of laparoscopic cholecystectomy is more in endoscopic gallbladder drainage than percutaneous gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis.

Minimally invasive surgical techniques have demonstrated superior outcomes across various elective procedures. Laparoscopic surgery (LS) is established in general surgery with laparoscopic operations for acute appendicitis and cholecystitis being the standard of care. Robotic surgery (RS) has been associated with equivalent or improved postoperative outcomes compared with LS. This increasing uptake of RS in emergency general surgery has encouraged the adoption of robotic acute care programs across the world. The key elements required to build a sustainable RS program are an enthusiastic surgical team, intensive training, resources and marketing. This review is a comprehensive layout elaborating the step-by-step process that has helped our high-volume level I trauma center in establishing a successful robotic acute care surgery program.

An alternative method to standard laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SLC) is the "fundus first" method (FFLC). Concerns have been raised that FFLC can lead to misinterpretation of important anatomical structures, thus causing complications of a more serious kind than SLC. Comparisons between the methods are complicated by the fact that FFLC is often used as a rescue procedure in complicated cases. To avoid confounding related to this we conducted a population-based study with comparisons on the surgeon level.

In GallRiks, the Swedish registry for Gallbladder surgery, we stratified all cholecystectomies performed 2006-2020 in three groups: surgeries carried out by surgeons that uses FFLC in <20 % of the cases (N = 150,119), in 20-79 % of the cases (N = 10,212) and in 80 % or more of the cases (N = 3176). We compared the groups with logistic regression, adjusting for sex, age, surgical experience, year of surgery and history of acute cholecystitis. All surgical complications (bleeding, gallbladder perforation, visceral perforation, infection, and bile duct injury) were included as outcome. A separate analysis was done with regards to operation time.

No difference in incidence of all surgical complications or bile duct injury were seen between groups. The rates of bleeding (OR 0.34 [0.14-0.86]) and gallbladder perforation (OR 0.61 [0.45-0.82]) were significantly lower in the "fundus first > 80% group" and the operative time was shorter (OR 0.76 [0.69-0.83]).

In this study including >160,000 cholecystectomies, both methods was found to be equally safe.

During laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the standard method of dissection and fundus first dissection are equally safe surgical techniques. Surgeons need to learn both methods to be able to use the one most appropriate for each individual case.

Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) is a safe alternative for difficult cholecystectomies to prevent bile duct injury and open conversion. The primary aim was to detail the use and outcomes on LSCs.

Retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained database of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). Relative clinical factors, outcomes, and 30-day follow-up between LSC and LC were compared using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Six hundred and twenty four cholecystectomies were performed and 53 (8.5%) required LSC. 81.8% were fenestrating LSC. Male sex was significantly overrepresented in the LSC group (p < 0.01) and patients requiring LSC were significantly older (p < 0.01). Same admission cholecystectomy was associated with a higher risk of LSC (p < 0.01). Patients with a history of previous surgery, preoperative ERCP, or percutaneous cholecystostomy had an increased risk of undergoing LSC (p < 0.01). A necrotic gallbladder was the most significant predictor of the need for a LSC (p < 0.001). A contracted gallbladder, extensive adhesions, gallbladder empyema, and severe inflammation were significant predictors of difficulty (all p < 0.01). Postoperative complications occurred in 26.4% of LSC patients. There were ten (18.9%) Clavien-Dindo Grade III complications, 5.7% required ERCPs, and 9.4% required relook laparotomies. Significantly, more patients in the LSC group developed bile leaks (n = 8, 15%) (p < 0.001). There were two readmissions within 30 days, one mortality, and no BDIs occurred in the LSC cohort.

LSC provides a feasible surgical option that should be utilized in complex cholecystitis.

Acute calculous cholecystitis is a common acute disease in elderly patients. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (ELC) compared to percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGD) for treating acute calculous cholecystitis in elderly patients.

This retrospective study compared the clinical outcomes of two groups of elderly patients treated with ELC (group A) and PTGD (group B) from January 2018 to December 2021. Preoperative clinical characteristics and postoperative treatment outcomes were analyzed for both groups.

There were no statistically significant differences in preoperative clinical characteristics between the ELC and PTGD groups. ELC took longer to perform (69.8 ± 15.9 min vs. 29.6 ± 5.3 min, p < 0.001) but resulted in a significantly shorter duration of pain (1.9 ± 0.9 days vs. 3.9 ± 1.0 days, p < 0.001) and hospital stay (6.3 ± 2.5 days vs. 9.9 ± 3.6 days, p < 0.001), and a lower rate of sepsis (3.4% vs. 16.9%, p < 0.019). Time to soft diet was faster in the ELC group (1.5 ± 0.9 days vs. 3.0 ± 1.6 days, p < 0.001). Fewer patients in the ELC group experienced surgical reintervention than in the PTGD group (0% vs. 5.6%, p = 0.043). The incidence of postoperative complications and readmission rates in the ELC group were significantly lower than those in the PTGD group (ELC, 3.6%; PTGD, 25.4%, p = 0.001).

ELC is an effective treatment option for acute calculous cholecystitis in elderly patients, and has the added benefits of low postoperative complication rates, rapid recovery, shorter duration of pain, and excellent curative effects as compared to PTGD.

Tokyo Guidelines 2018 (TG18) recommend early laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for low-risk acute cholecystitis (AC); however, some patients undergo delayed LC (DLC) after conservative treatment. DLC, influenced by chronic inflammation, is a difficult procedure. Previous studies on LC difficulty lacked objective measures. Recently, TG18 introduced a novel 25 findings difficulty score, which objectively assesses intraoperative factors. The purpose of this study was to use the difficulty score proposed in TG18 to identify and investigate the predictors of preoperative high-difficulty cases of DLC for AC.

We retrospectively reviewed 100 patients with DLC after conservative AC treatment. The surgical difficulty of DLC was evaluated using a difficulty score. Based on previous studies, the highest scores in each category were categorized as grades A-C.

The severity of AC was mild in 51 patients and moderate in 49. Surgical outcomes revealed a distribution of difficulty scores, with grade C indicating high difficulty, showing significant differences in operative time, blood loss, achieving a critical view of safety, bailout procedures, and postoperative hospital stay compared with grades A and B. Regarding the preoperative risk factors, multivariate analysis identified age >61 years (p = .008), body mass index >27.0 kg/m2 (p = .007), and gallbladder wall thickness >6.2 mm (p = .001) as independent risk factors for grade C in DLC.

The difficulty score proposed in TG18 provides an objective framework for evaluating surgical difficulty, allowing for more accurate risk assessments and improved preoperative planning in DLC for AC.