PERCUTANEOUS CHOLECYSTOSTOMY - A STUDY IN 30 PATIENTS

Objective and methods. - The treatment of acute cholecystitis or angio cholitis is often difficult in elderly or very ill patients. The aim o f this retrospective study was to assess the efficacy and the results of ultrasound guided percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with acu te cholecystitis or biliary tract obstruction and anesthetic or surgic al contraindications. Results. - Thirty patients (25-93 years, 16 men and 14 women) were included in this study. Ultrasound guided percutane ous cholecystostomy was successful on the septic syndrome in 27 patien ts; endoscopic sphincterotomy was performed in 6 patients after clinic al improvement. A failure of the procedure on sepsis was observed in 3 patients: cholecystectomy was performed after cardiac improvement in one patient, and 2 patients died. Two other patients died of extradige stive diseases. No serious complication related to cholecystostomy was observed. Conclusion. - Ultrasound guided percutaneous cholecystostom y is a safe and simple procedure. It can be done at bedside and has lo w morbidity and mortality. It can be considered as a definitive treatm ent, or a temporary one with secondary surgical or endoscopic manageme nt.