Timing of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for subacute calculous cholecystitis: early or interval — a prospective study

Background/Purpose

The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the safety and feasibility of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy for subacute cholecystitis and to compare it with interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Methods

The study was performed in 74 patients who had been diagnosed with subacute cholecystitis between January 2000 and June 2005. The patients were divided into two groups. The early laparoscopic cholecystectomy group was composed of 31 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy 24?h after admission to the hospital. The interval laparoscopic cholecystectomy group was composed of 43 patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy 8–12 weeks after medical treatment.

Results

There was no significant difference between the conversion rate, intraoperative bleeding, need for intraoperative cholangiography, minor bile duct injury, and postoperative complications in the two groups. Eleven patients in the interval group underwent urgent laparoscopic cholecystectomy or additional procedures because of recurrent cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, or biliary pancreatitis. The early group had a significantly shorter total hospital stay (P = 0.031), lower cost of treatment (P = 0.042), and less difficulty with Calot's triangle dissection (P = 0.008).

Conclusions

Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy can be done without hesitation in patients with subacute cholecystitis, in the light of obstacles observed in the interval group, such as dissection difficulty, lack of success in “cooling down”, and additional problems such as choledocholithiasis and biliary pancreatitis.     

Verification of Tokyo Guidelines for diagnosis and management of acute cholangitis

Background

This study aimed to verify diagnostic criteria and severity assessment of the Tokyo Guidelines for acute cholangitis.

Methods

We re-examined whether acute cholangitis was concomitant with gallstones according to the Tokyo Guidelines in 248 patients with choledocholithiasis. Our conventional diagnoses based on physician decision were compared with diagnoses from the Tokyo Guidelines. Problems with severity grade criteria were also evaluated.

Results

In total, 53 cases of acute cholangitis were determined by using the Tokyo Guidelines, including three false-negative and seven false-positive cases (acute cholecystitis or pancreatitis was concomitant with choledocholithiasis). Sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy were 94%, 96%, and 96%, respectively. Forty of the 53 patients underwent biliary drainage (mean interval between admission and drainage, 1.4 days). Severity grades were mild in 10, moderate in 30, and severe in 13 patients. Of these 13 patients with severe disease, 2 had chronic renal failure, 1 had liver cirrhosis, and 1 had severe acute pancreatitis and liver cirrhosis. No patients died, irrespective of severity grade.

Conclusions

Acute cholangitis should be carefully diagnosed when other inflammatory disease is concomitant with choledocholithiasis. A few patients have absolute acute cholangitis even when they do not meet Tokyo Guidelines diagnostic criteria. Classification into mild or moderate grade using the Tokyo Guidelines is difficult when early biliary drainage is routinely performed. When determining severity grade, clinicians must distinguish between organ dysfunction associated with cholangitis itself and that associated with the underlying/concomitant disease. Apart from a few problems like these, the Tokyo Guidelines are mostly acceptable for the diagnosis and management of acute cholangitis.     

Index versus delayed cholecystectomy in mild gallstone pancreatitis: results of a randomized controlled trial

Background

Delayed cholecystectomy is associated with increased risk of biliary events. The objectives of the study were to confirm the superiority of index cholecystectomy over delayed operation in mild gallstone pancreatitis.

Acute biliary conditions

Acute biliary complications may result from several medical conditions such as gallstone pancreatitis, acute cholangitis, acute cholecystitis, bile leak, liver abscess and hepatic trauma. Gallstones are the most common cause of acute pancreatitis. About 25% of theses patients will develop clinically severe acute pancreatitis, usually due to necrotizing pancreatitis. Choledocholithiasis, malignant and benign biliary strictures, and stent dysfunction may cause partial or complete obstruction and infection in the biliary tract with acute cholangitis. Bile leaks are most commonly associated with hepatobiliary surgeries or invasive procedures such as open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy, hepatic resection, hepatic transplantation, liver biopsy, and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) may have an essential role in the management of these complications.     

Trends in same-admission cholecystectomy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography for acute gallstone pancreatitis: A nationwide analysis across a decade

Background/objectivesGallstones are the leading cause of acute pancreatitis in developed countries. National and international guidelines recommend that a cholecystectomy should be performed during the index hospitalization for acute gallstone pancreatitis. We aimed to delineate the national trends for same-admission cholecystectomy and ERCP for acute gallstone pancreatitis over the last ten years.MethodsWe used the 2004, 2009 and 2014 National Inpatient Sample database including patients with a principal diagnosis of acute pancreatitis and a secondary diagnosis of choledocholithiasis or cholelithiasis. Exclusion criteria were age <18 years and elective admission. Primary outcome was the trend in incidence rate of same admission cholecystectomy from 2004 to 2014. The secondary outcomes were: 10-year trend in 1) Incidence of gallstone pancreatitis, 2) proportion of gallstone pancreatitis compared to all other etiologies of acute pancreatitis, 3) incidence rate of same-admission ERCP, 4) length of hospital stay, and 5) total hospitalization costs and charges.ResultsThe proportion of admissions during which a same-admission cholecystectomy was performed decreased from 48.7% in 2004 to 46.9% in 2009 to 45% in 2014 (trend p < 0.01). During the same time interval, the percentage of admissions during which an ERCP was performed decreased from 25.1% to 18.7% (Trend p < 0.01).ConclusionsAdherence to the guidelines for same-admission cholecystectomy for patients admitted with acute gallstone pancreatitis have been declining over the past decade. On the other hand, decline in rate of ERCP in patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis and no signs of cholangitis demonstrates adherence to guidelines in this regard.     

TG13 flowchart for the management of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis

We propose a management strategy for acute cholangitis and cholecystitis according to the severity assessment. For Grade I (mild) acute cholangitis, initial medical treatment including the use of antimicrobial agents may be sufficient for most cases. For non-responders to initial medical treatment, biliary drainage should be considered. For Grade II (moderate) acute cholangitis, early biliary drainage should be performed along with the administration of antibiotics. For Grade III (severe) acute cholangitis, appropriate organ support is required. After hemodynamic stabilization has been achieved, urgent endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage should be performed. In patients with Grade II (moderate) and Grade III (severe) acute cholangitis, treatment for the underlying etiology including endoscopic, percutaneous, or surgical treatment should be performed after the patient’s general condition has been improved. In patients with Grade I (mild) acute cholangitis, treatment for etiology such as endoscopic sphincterotomy for choledocholithiasis might be performed simultaneously, if possible, with biliary drainage. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the first-line treatment in patients with Grade I (mild) acute cholecystitis while in patients with Grade II (moderate) acute cholecystitis, delayed/elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy after initial medical treatment with antimicrobial agent is the first-line treatment. In non-responders to initial medical treatment, gallbladder drainage should be considered. In patients with Grade III (severe) acute cholecystitis, appropriate organ support in addition to initial medical treatment is necessary. Urgent or early gallbladder drainage is recommended. Elective cholecystectomy can be performed after the improvement of the acute inflammatory process. Free full-text articles and a mobile application of TG13 are available via http://www.jshbps.jp/en/guideline/tg13.html.     

Biliary sphincterotomy reduces the risk of acute gallstone pancreatitis recurrence in non-candidates for cholecystectomy

BackgroundPopulation aging and comorbidity are leading to an increase in patients unfit for cholecystectomy.AimsTo evaluate whether endoscopic biliary sphincterotomy after a first episode of acute gallstone pancreatitis reduces the risk of pancreatitis recurrence and gallstone-related events in non-surgical candidates.MethodsRetrospective study of patients admitted for a first episode of acute gallstone pancreatitis rejected for cholecystectomy between 2013–2018. The role of endoscopic sphincterotomy was evaluated by adjusting for age, severity of pancreatitis, and presence of choledocholithiasis.ResultsWe included 247 patients (mean age 80 ± 12 years; Charlson index: 5; severity of pancreatitis: 72% mild). Sphincterotomy was performed in 23.9%. Recurrence of pancreatitis occurred in 17.4% patients (median follow-up: 426 days). The one-year cumulative incidence of a new episode of pancreatitis was 1.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.2–12%) and 23% (95% CI: 17–31%) in patients with and without sphincterotomy, respectively (p = 0.006). In multivariate analysis, sphincterotomy showed a protective role for recurrence of pancreatitis (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 0.29, 95% CI: 0.08–0.92, p = 0.037) and for any gallstone-related event (HR 0.46, 95% CI: 0.21–0.98, p = 0.043).ConclusionsEndoscopic biliary sphincterotomy reduced the risk of gallstone pancreatitis recurrence and other biliary-related disorders in patients with a first episode of pancreatitis non-candidates for cholecystectomy.     

Management for CBD Stone-Related Mild to Moderate Acute Cholangitis: Urgent Versus Elective ERCP

Background

There is no doubt that urgent biliary decompression needs to be done in case of severe acute cholangitis. However, it remains to be determined how early biliary decompression should be performed and elective intervention would be comparable to urgent intervention, in case of mild to moderate choledocholithiasis associated cholangitis.

Methods

One hundred ninety-five patients were enrolled who were diagnosed with mild to moderate cholangitis with common bile duct (CBD) stones between January 2006 and August 2010. They were divided into two groups according to door to intervention time, and urgent (≤24 h, n = 130) versus elective (>24 h, n = 82). Primary outcomes of this study were technical success rate (CBD stones removal) and clinical success rate (improvement of cholangitis) between the two groups. Hospital stay and intervention-related complications were also evaluated.

Results

There was no statistically significant difference in technical, clinical success rate and intervention-related complications between the urgent and elective groups (P = 0.737, 0.285, 0.398, respectively). Patients in the urgent group had significantly shorter hospitalization than in the elective group (6.8 vs. 9.2 days, P < 0.001), and furthermore, intervention to discharge time was also significantly shorter by 1.1 days in the urgent group (P = 0.035). In terms of laboratory parameters, initial CRP level was the only factor correlated with hospital stay and intervention to discharge time.

Conclusions

This study demonstrates that urgent ERCP would be recommended in the management of patients with CBD stone-related mild to moderate acute cholangitis because of the advantage of short hospital stay and intervention to discharge time.     

Choledocho- und Cholezystolithiasis

Background

Gallstones are present in approximately 10–20?% of the German population. Up to one fourth of them will develop symptoms or complications during their lifetime.

Objective

Based on recent guidelines, this paper reviews the evidence-based management of patients with gallstone disease.

Materials and methods

Most relevant recommendations of the updated S3 guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of gallstone disease are provided. Developments are depicted in relation to the 2007 version of these guidelines. Complementary recommendations of the S2k guidelines on quality requirements for gastrointestinal endoscopy and of the European Federation of Societies of Ultrasound in Medicine and Biology (EFSUMB) guidelines on interventional ultrasound in gallstone disease are referred to.

Results

Based on recent scientific evidence, the guideline recommendations for diagnosis and treatment of patients with gallstone disease are presented. Requirements are rising for early surgical treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis (24 h), the timely management of patients with acute cholangitis and biliary pancreatitis (depending on severity) and on the sequential treatment of patients with simultaneous gallbladder and common bile duct stones (laparascopic cholecystectomy within 72 h after endoscopic bile duct clearance).

Conclusions

Up-to-date guideline-based management of patients with gallstone disease is an interdisciplinary task and requires comprehensive management concepts. A guideline-based algorithm is introduced.

     

Diagnosis and management of cholecystitis and cholangitis

Cholelithiasis is a prevalent condition in Western populations. Most cases are asymptomatic but complications can occur. Acute cholangitis, cholecystitis, and gallstone pancreatitis are the most common biliary tract emergencies and are usually caused by biliary calculi. Whenever possible, acute cholecystitis should be treated with early LC. AAC is an uncommon condition usually affecting patients with significant comorbidities. Treatment is usually with percutaneous cholecystostomy, which often is also the only required therapy. Endoscopic drainage is the preferred form of biliary decompression in acute cholangitis and these patients should subsequently undergo elective LC unless unfit for surgery. Effective and optimal management of biliary tract emergencies relies on close cooperation between gastroenterologist, surgeon, and radiologist.     

Procalcitonin is a useful biomarker to predict severe acute cholangitis: a single-center prospective study

Background

Procalcitonin is being increasingly used to diagnose and grade acute systemic bacterial infection at an early stage of disease onset. The aim of this prospective study was to evaluate the usefulness of procalcitonin for severity grading of acute cholangitis on patient admission.

Methods

Patients with acute cholangitis were prospectively enrolled. The severity of acute cholangitis was graded on the basis of the 2013 Tokyo guidelines (Japanese Society of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery, 2013). We compared the ability of procalcitonin level on admission to predict moderate/severe (vs mild) or severe (vs mild/moderate) acute cholangitis with the abilities of white blood cell (WBC) count and C-reactive protein (CRP) level.

Results

Two hundred thirteen patients were analyzed, and the severity of acute cholangitis was graded as mild, moderate, and severe in 108, 76, and 29 patients respectively. Procalcitonin level, WBC count, and CRP level all increased significantly according to the severity. In the receiver operating characteristic analyses, the area under the curve for procalcitonin for severe acute cholangitis was 0.90 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.85–0.96] and was significantly greater than that for WBC (0.62; 95% CI 0.48–0.76) and that for CRP (0.70; 95% CI 0.60–0.80). The optimal cutoff value for procalcitonin for prediction of severe acute cholangitis was 2.2 ng/mL (sensitivity 0.97; specificity 0.73; accuracy 0.77). The areas under the curve for procalcitonin, WBC, and CRP for moderate/severe acute cholangitis were not significantly different.

Conclusions

Procalcitonin predicted severe acute cholangitis better than conventional biomarkers. Severe cases for which urgent biliary drainage is indicated might be identified on admission on the basis of the cutoff values for procalcitonin suggested in this study.

     

Flowcharts for the diagnosis and treatment of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis: Tokyo Guidelines

Diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for acute biliary inflammation/infection (acute cholangitis and acute cholecystitis), according to severity grade, have not yet been established in the world. Therefore we formulated flowcharts for the management of acute biliary inflammation/infection in accordance with severity grade. For mild (grade I) acute cholangitis, medical treatment may be sufficient/appropriate. For moderate (grade II) acute cholangitis, early biliary drainage should be performed. For severe (grade III) acute cholangitis, appropriate organ support such as ventilatory/circulatory management is required. After hemodynamic stabilization is achieved, urgent endoscopic or percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage should be performed. For patients with acute cholangitis of any grade of severity, treatment for the underlying etiology, including endoscopic, percutaneous, or surgical treatment should be performed after the patient’s general condition has improved. For patients with mild (grade I) cholecystitis, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the preferred treatment. For patients with moderate (grade II) acute cholecystitis, early laparoscopic or open cholecystectomy is preferred. In patients with extensive local inflammation, elective cholecystectomy is recommended after initial management with percutaneous gallbladder drainage and/or cholecystostomy. For the patient with severe (grade III) acute cholecystitis, multiorgan support is a critical part of management. Biliary peritonitis due to perforation of the gallbladder is an indication for urgent cholecystectomy and/or drainage. Delayed elective cholecystectomy may be performed after initial treatment with gallbladder drainage and improvement of the patient’s general medical condition.     

Recurrence of gallstones after cholecystectomy is associated with ABCG5/8 genotype

Background

Gallstone disease is a frequent and economically highly relevant disorder, with cholecystectomy representing one of the most frequently performed operations world-wide. Gallstone recurrence after cholecystectomy is associated with complications such as biliary sepsis and pancreatitis. As yet, variant ABCG8-D19H is the most widely recognized genetic risk factor for gallstone disease. The aim of the study is to investigate whether ABCG8-D19H is associated with gallstone recurrence after cholecystectomy.

Methods

Two thousand three hundred and eight patients from an earlier study of gallstone risk factors were re-contacted by mail, leading to 1,915 patients with available clinical and genetic information. Symptomatic gallstone recurrence was established if it occurred more than six months after surgery. Median follow-up time after cholecystectomy was eight years.

Results

Gallstones recurred in 37 patients (1.9 %). ABCG-D19H was found to be significantly associated with gallstone recurrence (p = 0.034). The allelic odds ratio was 1.97 (95 % CI 1.12–∞). In a multivariate logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, BMI and type of surgery, ABCG8-D19H remained a significant predictor, both in the total cohort (p = 0.024) and in the subgroup for whom information on type and scheduling of surgery was available (N = 1,650, p = 0.020).

Conclusions

ABCG8-D19H is a predictor of gallstone recurrence, a major long term postoperative biliary complication. Moreover, the observed association also reemphasizes the importance of the sterolin transporter for stone formation.     

Management of gallstone pancreatitis: cholecystectomy or ERCP and endoscopic sphincterotomy

BACKGROUND: Currently, cholecystectomy is recommended for patients with gallstone-induced pancreatitis. ERCP with endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) within 24 to 48 hours is also suggested for the treatment of acute gallstone pancreatitis. The aim of this study was to determine outcome after cholecystectomy versus ES alone in patients with gallstone pancreatitis. METHODS: One hundred seventeen patients with gallstone pancreatitis were included in this prospective observational study. Inclusion criteria were typical abdominal pain; serum amylase level 3 times or greater than normal; and gallbladder stones and a dilated bile duct, with or without stones, by US, CT, or ERCP. RESULTS: Eighty-three patients (Group A) underwent cholecystectomy after initial evaluation including ERCP in 43 (53%) and ERCP with ES in 38 (47%). The remaining 34 (Group B) underwent successful ERCP with ES alone. Mean follow-up was 33 months for Group A and 34 months for Group B. Recurrent gallstone pancreatitis was noted in 2 patients (2.4%) in Group A (bile duct stone in 2, sludge and papillary stenosis in 1), and in 1 patient (2.9%) in Group B. Ten patients in Group B had follow-up US of the gallbladder that showed disappearance of stones in 3. During follow-up, there was no significant difference in the rates of biliary complications (Group A, 3.6% vs. Group B, 11.6%; p = 0.19) or serious complications (pancreatitis, cholecystitis, cholangitis) (Group A, 3.6% vs. Group B, 5.8%). Also, there was no significant difference in procedure-related complications. CONCLUSIONS: Recurrence of pancreatitis after ERCP with ES alone for gallstone pancreatitis is rare. In patients who have undergone ES alone, cholecystectomy should be considered only if there are overt manifestations of gallbladder disease (e.g., biliary pain, cholecystitis, cystic duct obstruction) and not for prevention of recurrent gallstone pancreatitis. Because treatment by ES alone may be associated with a higher risk of biliary complications during follow-up compared with cholecystectomy, these patients may require close surveillance.     

Fever-based antibiotic therapy for acute cholangitis following successful endoscopic biliary drainage

Background

The current management of acute cholangitis consists of antibiotic therapy in combination with biliary drainage. However, the optimal duration of antibiotic therapy after the resolution of clinical symptoms by biliary drainage is unclear. We aimed to evaluate whether discontinuing antibiotic therapy for acute cholangitis immediately after the resolution of clinical symptoms, achieved by endoscopic biliary drainage, was safe and effective.

Methods

This prospective study included patients with moderate and severe acute cholangitis. Cefmetazole sodium and meropenem hydrate were used as initial antibiotic therapy for patients with moderate and severe acute cholangitis, respectively. All patients underwent endoscopic biliary drainage within 24?h of diagnosis. When the body temperature of <37°C was maintained for 24?h, administration of antibiotics was stopped. The primary endpoint was the recurrence of acute cholangitis within 3?days after the withdrawal of antibiotic therapy.

Results

Eighteen patients were subjected to the final analysis. The causes of cholangitis were bile duct stone (n?=?17) and bile duct cancer (n?=?1). The severity of acute cholangitis was moderate in 14 patients and severe in 4. Body temperature of <37°C was achieved in all patients after a median of 2?days (range 1?C6) following endoscopic biliary drainage. Antibiotic therapy was administered for a median duration of 3?days (range 2?C7). None of the patients developed recurrent cholangitis within 3?days after the withdrawal of antibiotics.

Conclusions

Fever-based antibiotic therapy for acute cholangitis is safe and effective when resolution of fever is achieved following endoscopic biliary drainage.     

Gallstone disease and its complications

Gallstone disease is one of the most common disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, and more cholecystectomies are performed each year in the United States than any other elective abdominal operation. As such, clinicians need a fundamental knowledge of gallstone disease and the common complications that are associated with this disease. Overall, the prevalence of gallstones in the United States is approximately 10% to 15%, of which, approximately 80% are without symptoms. Symptoms will occur in approximately 20% of those with gallstones, and this subgroup is at the highest risk for developing serious complications from their gallstone disease. These complications can range from simple recurrent biliary colic to severe, life-threatening ascending cholangitis and/or pancreatitis. This review will outline the basis for gallstone formation, the underlying mechanisms that result in gallstone-induced symptoms and a rational approach to individuals who present with symptoms consistent with gallstone disease. Current diagnostic and treatment modalities will be discussed, with a particular emphasis on acute cholecystitis and acute biliary pancreatitis.     

TG13 surgical management of acute cholecystitis

Background

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is now accepted as a surgical procedure for acute cholecystitis when it is performed by an expert surgeon. There are several lines of strong evidence, such as randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and meta-analyses, supporting the introduction of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for patients with acute cholecystitis. The updated Tokyo Guidelines 2013 (TG13) describe the surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis according to the grade of severity, the timing, and the procedure used for cholecystitis in a question-and-answer format using the evidence concerning surgical management of acute cholecystitis.

Methods and materials

Forty-eight publications were selected for a careful examination of their full texts, and the types of surgical management of acute cholecystitis were investigated using this evidence. The items concerning the surgical management of acute cholecystitis were the optimal surgical treatment for acute cholecystitis according to the grade of severity, optimal timing for the cholecystectomy, surgical procedure used for cholecystectomy, optimal timing of the conversion of cholecystectomy from laparoscopic to open surgery, and the complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Results

There were eight RCTs and four meta-analyses concerning the optimal timing of the cholecystectomy. Consequently, it was found that cholecystectomy is preferable early after admission. There were three RCTs and two meta-analyses concerning the surgical procedure, which concluded that laparoscopic cholecystectomy is preferable to open procedures. Literature concerning the surgical treatment according to the grade of severity could not be quoted, because there have been no publications on this topic. Therefore, the treatment was determined based on the general opinions of professionals.

Conclusion

Surgical management of acute cholecystitis in the updated TG13 is fundamentally the same as in the Tokyo Guidelines 2007 (TG07), and the concept of a critical view of safety and the existence of extreme vasculobiliary injury are added in the text to call the surgeon’s attention to the need to reduce the incidence of bile duct injury. Free full-text articles and a mobile application of TG13 are available via http://www.jshbps.jp/en/guideline/tg13.html.     

Life-threatening hemobilia caused by hepatic pseudoaneurysm after T-tube choledochostomy: report of a case

Background

Hemobilia is a rare but lethal biliary tract complication. There are several causes of hemobilia which might be classified as traumatic or nontraumatic. Hemobilia caused by pseudoaneurysm might result from hepatobiliary surgery or percutaneous interventional hepatobiliary procedures. However, to our knowledge, there are no previous reports pertaining to hemobilia caused by hepatic pseudoaneurysm after T-tube choledochostomy.

Case presentation

A 65-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of acute calculous cholecystitis and cholangitis. He underwent cholecystectomy, choledocholithotomy via a right upper quadrant laparotomy and a temporary T-tube choledochostomy was created. However, on the 19th day after operation, he suffered from sudden onset of hematemesis and massive fresh blood drainage from the T-tube choledochostomy. Imaging studies confirmed the diagnosis of pseudoaneurysm associated hemobilia. The probable association of T-tube choledochostomy with pseudoaneurysm and hemobilia is also demonstrated. He underwent emergent selective microcoils emobolization to occlude the feeding artery of the pseudoaneurysm.

Conclusions

Pseudoaneurysm associated hemobilia may occur after T-tube choledochostomy. This case also highlights the importance that hemobilia should be highly suspected in a patient presenting with jaundice, right upper quadrant abdominal pain and upper gastrointestinal bleeding after liver or biliary surgery.     

New diagnostic criteria and severity assessment of acute cholangitis in revised Tokyo guidelines

Background

The Tokyo Guidelines for the management of acute cholangitis and cholecystitis were published in 2007 (TG07) and have been widely cited in the world literature. Because of new information that has been published since 2007, we organized the Tokyo Guidelines Revision Committee?to conduct a multicenter analysis to develop the updated Tokyo Guidelines (TG13).

Methods/materials

We retrospectively analyzed 1,432 biliary disease cases where acute cholangitis was suspected. The cases were collected from multiple tertiary care centers in Japan. The ‘gold standard’ for acute cholangitis in this study was that one of the three following conditions was present: (1) purulent bile was observed; (2) clinical remission following bile duct drainage; or (3) remission?was?achieved?by antibacterial therapy alone, in patients in whom the only site of infection was the biliary tree. Comparisons were made for the validity of each diagnostic criterion among TG13, TG07 and Charcot’s triad.

Results

The major changes in diagnostic criteria of TG07 were re-arrangement of the diagnostic items and exclusion of abdominal pain from the diagnostic list.?The sensitivity improved from 82.8?% (TG07) to 91.8?% (TG13). While?the?specificity was similar to TG07, the false positive rate in cases of acute cholecystitis was reduced from 15.5 to 5.9?%. The sensitivity of Charcot’s triad?was?only 26.4?%?but the?specificity?was 95.6?%. However, the false positive rate in cases of acute cholecystitis?was?11.9?% and not negligible. As for severity grading, Grade II (moderate) acute cholangitis is defined as being associated with any two of the significant prognostic factors which were derived from evidence presented recently in the literature. The factors chosen allow severity assessment to be performed soon after diagnosis of acute cholangitis.

Conclusion

TG13 present a new standard for the diagnosis, severity grading, and management of acute cholangitis.     

Gallstone pancreatitis: positive correlation between severe pancreatitis and passed stone

Background/Purpose

Little is known about whether the severity of pancreatitis depends upon persistent stone impaction or stone passage into the duodenum, and the role of endoscopic sphincterotomy (ES) has remained controversial.

Methods

This study reviewed our experience of 183 patients with gallstone pancreatitis, with special attention paid to the relationship between the severity of pancreatitis, the severity of coexisting biliary pathology, and the outcome.

Results

Sixteen patients (9%) had severe pancreatitis (SP) and the remaining 167 (91%) had mild pancreatitis (MP). All of the SP patients had pancreatic necrosis, and 6 of them developed multiple organ failure (MOF). No SP patients had stones impacted at the papilla of Vater or persistent stones and purulent bile in the bile duct (severe cholangitis). Most SP patients (94%) had stones in the gallbladder alone, suggesting stone passage into the duodenum. Of the 167 MP patients, on the other hand, 58 (35%) had severe cholangitis. Four patients (25%) with SP died of MOF. There were four deaths in the MP group (2%) and all in patients with coexisting severe cholangitis, 2 of whom were in septic shock at the time of admission.

Conclusions

None of the SP patients had severe cholangitis. The positive correlation between SP and passed stone suggests that early ES should not be advocated for SP patients. MP patients with coexisting severe cholangitis are likely to benefit from ES.