CT findings as factors related to recurrence of acute cholecystitis during the interval between the conservative management and surgical cholecystectomy

Abstract

Background: The aim of this study is to find out recurrence risk factors based on imaging findings in patients who underwent elective surgery after conservative treatment for mild acute calculous cholecystitis.

Methods: A total of 80 patients who were hospitalized with mild cholecystitis and received conservative treatment in a year preceding their cholecystectomy between January 2011 and December 2022 at our hospital were included. CT images were used to evaluate five factors: incarcerated gallbladder stone, diameter of the stone in the gallbladder, short axis diameter of the gallbladder, diameter of the bile duct, and length of the cystic duct and divided patients into two groups depending on the presence or absence and severity of each finding. The preoperative recurrence rate was analyzed on each finding retrospectively.

Results: 8 cases developed recurrent before elective surgery. Among the five factors evaluated, cases with a cystic duct length of less than 24.8mm had a significantly higher recurrence rate (p<0.01, Log rank test).

Conclusions: It was suggested that cholecystitis may tend to recur in patients with short cystic duct length after conservative treatment for mild acute calculous cholecystitis.