Lf. Fenster et al., WHAT SYMPTOMS DOES CHOLECYSTECTOMY CURE - INSIGHTS FROM AN OUTCOMES MEASUREMENT PROJECT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE, The American journal of surgery, 169(5), 1995, pp. 533-538
BACKGROUND: The increasing application of cholecystectomy has increase
d the need to assess the effects of cholecystectomy on presenting symp
toms. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Three surgeon-derived and two patient-deri
ved data forms were collected for each patient in a series of 225 lapa
roscopic cholecystectomies. RESULTS: Eighty-two percent of patients ha
d documented gallstones preoperatively, 91% had biliary pain, and 77%
had both biliary pain and documented gallstones prior to surgery. Fift
een percent of patients were believed to have acalculous cholecystitis
. Eighty-two percent also had bothersome nonpain symptoms (gassiness,
bloating, indigestion, fatty-food intolerance, and nausea). The cure r
ate for biliary colic was 82% if stones were documented preoperatively
, and 52% when they were not (P = 0.002). Atypical pain was cured 80%
of the time, and nonpain symptoms, 44% of the time. CONCLUSIONS: Most
patients (82%) with biliary colic and gallstones have complete relief
of upper abdominal pain after cholecystectomy. Pain relief in patients
felt to have acalculous cholecystitis was only 52%. Nonpain symptoms
were common preoperatively (82%) and were relieved in 44% of patients.