LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY ALLEVIATES PAIN IN PATIENTS WITH ACALCULOUS BILIARY DISEASE

Our goal was to determine whether laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a sa fe and effective means of treatment for patients with acalculous chole cystitis. We reviewed the charts of 243 patients diagnosed with acalcu lous cholecystitis or biliary dyskinesia. Follow-up telephone intervie ws to measure degree of patient satisfaction and relief of preoperativ e symptoms were conducted. Hepatobiliary scanning results and postoper ative symptom resolution were compared, One hundred seventy-one patien ts (94.5%) reported complete or partial resolution of symptoms postope ratively. Although 99 patients had symptoms reproduced with cholecysto kinin injection during scanning, there was no significant correlation between these findings and alleviation of pain with cholecystectomy. T here was no significant correlation between pain resolution after chol ecystectomy and abnormal pathologic findings. Patients who suffered sy mptoms for a longer period of time preoperatively were more likely to be satisfied with the result of laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Laparosc opic cholecystectomy alleviates symptoms in many patients with acute o r chronic acalculous cholecystitis or biliary dyskinesia with minimal morbidity.