Emphysematous cholecystitis is an uncommon form of acute cholecystitis characterized by the presence of gas within the wall, lumen of the gall bladder or biliary ducts. Clinically it is very similar to ordinary farm. But since the risk of perforation is five times that expected from ordinary cholecystitis, early diagnosis and appropriate surgical treatment are important. We could diagnose these cases by the simple abdomen, abdominal ultrasound and abdominal CT by the presence of air in the lumen and the wall of the gall bladder. Percutaneous trans hepatic gall bladder drainage (PTGBD) for decompression was used because poor general condition of patients and later, we could successfully perform the cholecystectomy without any complication. We presented two cases of emphysematous cholecystitis with review of the relevant literature on the subject.
Abdomen ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Decompression ; Drainage ; Early Diagnosis ; Emphysematous Cholecystitis* ; Humans ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed ; Ultrasonography ; Urinary Bladder

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of abdominal ultrasonography (USG) as performed by emergency physicians (EP) after systematic training and to compare it with the performance of a radiologist. METHODS: From 4 March, to 3 October, 2006, we enrolled 368 patients with suspected acute appendicitis and 177 patients with suspected acute cholecystitis. During night hours, abdominal USG was performed by EPs who had been trained for more than 2 years (Group I), and during day, it was performed by a radiologist (Group II). In group I, 201 patients were suspected to have acute appendicitis and 103 patients were suspected to have acute cholecystitis. In group II, 167 patients were suspected to have acute appendicitis and 74 patients were suspected to have acute cholecystitis. We reviewed pathology reports and the final diagnoses of all patients after one month. We calculated the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and accuracy for each group and then compared the diagnostic accuracy for group I with that of group II using the chisquare test. RESULTS: With suspected acute appendicitis patients, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of USG were 92.0%, 85.2%, 88.9%, 89.3%, and 89.1% for group I and 94.2%, 85.7%, 91.6%, 90.0%, and 91.0% for group II. With suspected acute cholecystitis patients, the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, NPV and accuracy of USG were 87.2%, 93.8%, 89.5%, 92.3%, and 91.3% for group I and 92.0%, 93.9%, 88.5%, 95.8%, and 93.2% for group II. There was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy between the two groups. (p=0.533, p=0.630) CONCLUSION: In this study, there was no significant difference between EPs and a radiologist in diagnostic accuracy of abdominal USG. This result suggests that diagnostic abdominal USG for acute abdominal diseases, such as acute appendicitis and acute cholecystitis can be appropriately used as a diagnostic modality by emergency physicians who are properly trained in a systematic educational program.
Appendicitis* ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Diagnosis ; Emergencies* ; Humans ; Pathology ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography*

Perforation of gallbladder is a serious complication of acute cholecystitis with alarmingly high mortality rate. These high mortality and morbidity rates were caused by delay in prompt diagnosis and adequate therapy. Especially, mortality and morbidity rates rise markedly in the elderly patient with severe systemic illness. In the patients of gallbladder perforation who are poor candidate for general anesthesia and major operation, percutaneous cholecystic drainage procedure is good alternatives. We experienced a case of gallbladder perforation which was treated successfully by non-operative percutaneous transhepatic cholecystic drainage(PTCCD) in 65-year-old female. She couldn't be a candidate for cholecystectomy or operative chlecystostomy because of severe adhesion of gallbladder to adjacent organ and tissue due to previous gallbladder empyema. We decided to take non-operative percutaneous transhepatic cholecystic drainage and percutaneous peritoneal drainage of abdominal abscess. Thereafter, we examined gallbladder by percutaneous transhepatic cholecystoscopylPTCCS)and rule out gallstone and gallbladder malignancy. So, we presented the case with the brief review of the literatures.
Abdominal Abscess ; Aged ; Anesthesia, General ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Female ; Gallbladder* ; Gallstones ; Humans ; Mortality

PURPOSE: This study was to evaluate the safety and conversion rate of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) after percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) in patients with a complicated acute cholecystitis (GB empyema, gangrenous cholecystitis and pericholecystic abscess) according to the timing of LC. METHODS: One hundred and four patients, who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy after PTGBD between March 2004 and December 2006, were analyzed. Thirty-four patients underwent LC within 7 days after PTGBD (early group, n=34) and 38 patients underwent LC between 14 and 39 days after PTGBD (delayed group, n=38). Thirty-two patients were excluded because of gallbladder cancer (n=2), simple acute cholecystitis (n=12), a history of previous abdominal surgery (n=5), and LC between 8 and 13 days after PTGBD (n=13). RESULTS: There was no significant difference in age (early group, 58.4+/-11.2; delayed group, 61.0+/-12.1), diagnosis, duration of symptoms, WBC counts, interval of admission and PTGBD, improvement of symptoms after PTGBD, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) score, prior medical history, post-PTGBD and postoperative complications, and operation time. The rate of conversion to an open laparotomy was 14.7% (5/34) in the early group and 2.6% (1/38) in the delayed group (statistically not significant). CONCLUSION: The timing of LC after PTGBD for a complicated acute cholecystitis does not influence the rate of conversion to an open laparotomy, surgery time and complication. However, a delayed LC after PTGBD tends to decrease the rate of conversion to an open laparotomy.
Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Empyema ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Laparotomy ; Postoperative Complications

PURPOSE: A Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has been the treatment of choice for acute and chronic disease of the gallbladder. We have performed about 1, 500 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy since 1991. The purpose of this study is to analyse 1, 000 cases of laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed by a single surgeon and observe the effectiveness of this form of treatment of for gallbladder disease. METHODS: From March 1993 to December 2001, 1, 000 patients underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy at our department by a single surgeon. They were divided into 2 groups; group 1 being those of the first half of the period and group 2 being those of second half. We reviewed the patient's charts, age, sex, associated medical diseases, final diagnosis, operation time, occurrence of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy, surgical complication and hospital stay. RESULTS: The mean age was 51.2+/-2.37 years and the male-to-female ratio was 1: 1.3. There was no difference of age or sex between two groups. Nineteen percent from group 1 and 16.6% from group 2 had a history of previous abdominal surgery. 22.2% from group 1 and 28.6% from group 2 had a associated disease. Chronic cholecystitis was the most common final diagnosis in both groups. But while the incidence of acute cholecystitis of group 1 was 7%, that of group 2 was 20.6%, which significantly increased (P<0.05). The mean operation time was 69.4 and 45.2 minutes, the conversion rate was 3.8% and 1.2% (P<0.05). The surgical complication rate was 4.4% and 2.4%, and the length of hospital stay was 4.7 and 3.9 days in groups 1 and 2, respectively Conclusion: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a safe and effective treatment for gallbladder diseases. As surgical experience incerased with a rising number of cases, the conversion rate, complication rate and hospital stay decreased. However, the rate of acute cholecystitis increased. For this result, we think that an excellent skill and significant experience of surgeon is essential for this results.
Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Chronic Disease ; Diagnosis ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Humans ; Incidence ; Length of Stay

PURPOSE: The diagnosis of acute cholecystitis is usually made by performing ultrasonography or biliary scintigraphy. We have introduced the (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin (infecton) scan for diagnosing of acute cholecystitis. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin imaging in comparison with ultrasonographic findings for the diagnosis of acute cholecystitis. METHODS: Sixteen patients who were thought to have acute or chronic cholecystitis, based on the clinical and sonographic findings, were included in this study. We gave intravenous (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin to sixteen patients and we obtained the SPECT images after one hour. The final diagnosis of acute cholecystitis was made according to the pathologic reports. RESULTS: According to pathologic reports, out of the sixteen patients, twelve patients had acute cholecystitis and four patients had chronic cholecystitis. On the (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin scans, twelve patients had positive images showing acute cholecystitis on account of the hot uptake in the gallbladder and four patents had negative images showing chronic cholecystitis due to the negative uptake in the gallbladder. Among them, one false positive case and one false negative case were observed. With performing ultrasonography, twelve and four patients were diagnosed as having acute and chronic cholecystitis respectively. Out of them one false positive case and three false negative cases were observed. Based on the pathologic reports, (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin imaging has a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 75%. The ultrasonography had a sensitivity of 91.7% and a specificity of 25%. CONCLUSION: As a result of comparing the sensitivity and specificity of the (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin scan with those of the ultrasonography, the (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin scan is considered to be useful test method to diagnose acute cholecystitis.
Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute* ; Diagnosis* ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Radionuclide Imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon ; Ultrasonography

Gallbladder perforation is a grave complication of acute cholecystitis, which has a high incidence of morbidity and mortality in the elderly patients. The unfavorable nature of this disease is due in part to a delay in diagnosis because of the similarity in clinical presentation of patients with uncomplicated cholecystitis and those with perforation. Although prompt surgical intervention with cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice, morbidity and mortality rates rise markedly in the elderly patient with severe systemic illness. In acute cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystostomy is a good alternative to surgical cholecystectomy or is a temporary measure until a patient is sufficiently stable for surgery. In this report, we describe our experience of successful use of percutaneous cholecystostomy and intra- abdominal percutaneous catheter drainage for the therapy of gallbladder perforation in two patients with high surgical risk.
Abscess* ; Aged ; Catheters ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis ; Cholecystitis, Acute ; Cholecystostomy* ; Diagnosis ; Drainage* ; Gallbladder* ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mortality

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is an uncommon inflammatory disease of the gall baldder characterised by a focal or diffuse destructive inflammatory process. The pathogenesis is uncertain, but an inflammatory response to extravasated bile due to acute inflammation and obstruction is likely. Macroscopically, the gall bladder wall is invariably thickened, and extensive adhesions to adjacent organs are frequent. Clinically, xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis can mimic gall bladder carcinoma and radiologic differential diagnosis is extremely difficult. Fistula to skin and duodenum was reported. We report the first case of cholecysto-colonic fistula due to xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis.
Bile ; Cholecystitis* ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Duodenum ; Fistula* ; Inflammation ; Skin ; Urinary Bladder

Xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis is an uncommon destructive inflammatory disease with accumulation of lipid-laden macrophages, fibrous tissue, and inflammatory cells. It is often mistaken for gallbladder cancer due to diffuse wall thickening of gallbladder and infiltration into neighboring organs. And it is usually difficult to distinguish xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis from gallbladder cancer based on clinical, radiographic, or laboratory testing. Patients with xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis often undergo cholecystectomy to confirm the diagnosis, and to exclude gallbladder cancers. We report a case of 69-year-old woman with xanthogranulomatous cholecystitis who had been treated with steroid and avoided extended resection.
Aged ; Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystitis* ; Diagnosis ; Female ; Gallbladder ; Gallbladder Neoplasms ; Humans ; Macrophages

No abstract available.
Aged ; Cholecystography ; Emphysematous Cholecystitis/*diagnosis/ultrasonography ; Humans ; Male