The importance of early diagnosis of acute acalculus cholecystitis

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-1987

Journal

Surgery Gynecology and Obstetrics

Volume

164

Issue

3

Abstract

The rapid development of advanced disease in patients with acute acalculous cholecystitis is an indication for early operative intervention. To demonstrate the importance of early suspicion and diagnosis of this condition, 40 patients with a diagnosis of acute acalculous cholecystitis were retrospectively studied. Twenty-six patients had a delay between the onset of symptoms and operative intervention of greater than 48 hours. Ten (40 per cent) of these patients were found to have perforations of the gallbladders at operation while one of 12 (8 per cent) who underwent surgical treatment within 48 hours of the onset of symptoms had evidence of perforation. Three-tenths of the patients in this study had postoperative complications, including a mortality rate of 10 per cent. Three-fourths of those patients who had postoperative complications had evidence of advanced forms of cholecystitis.

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