Background
Cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis. However, the mortality rate of emergency cholecystectomy in high-risk patients with severe comorbidities remains unsatisfactory. Endoscopic transpapillary gallbladder stenting (ETGBS) has emerged as a useful interventional endoscopic technique for the management of acute cholecystitis.
Aim
The purpose of this research was to assess the safety and effectiveness of ETGBS in the treatment of acute cholecystitis in elderly individuals who were not good candidates for surgery.
Patients and methods
We studied 35 elderly patients, 60 years of age or older, receiving treatment at Aswan University Hospital's surgery department for acute cholecystitis. Every patient had ETGBS, involving the insertion of a 7-Fr stent into the gallbladder. If ETGBS was unsuccessful, percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder draining was carried out. The effectiveness of ETGBS was the primary outcome measure in this investigation.
Results
ETGBS was successful in 30 (85%) individuals with acute cholecystitis. 8.57% (3/35) of the cases had early adverse events (AEs). Three patients had endoscopic sphincterotomy hemorrhage, one had minor pancreatitis, and one patient experienced obstructive jaundice as early AEs. There were 8.57% (3/35) late AEs. Late AEs included cholangitis in one patient and cholecystitis recurrence in two others. Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage was used for the five individuals in whom ETGBS failed.
Conclusion
ETGBS appears to be a successful treatment for elderly patients with acute cholecystitis who are unsuitable for surgery.