Increase in Acute Cholecystitis and Laparoscopic Resection after COVID-19 Pandemic: A Japanese Single Center Experience

Abstract

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) emerged as viral pandemic in the year 2019 and surgical intervention was forced to be restricted during the pandemic. This study aims to compare the perioperative outcomes of surgeries for acute cholecystitis in the period following the COVID-19 pandemic. A retrospective analysis was conducted on the demographic and perioperative data of 246 cholecystectomy cases performed between June 2017 and November 2022. This analysis focused on comparing patient background and perioperative outcomes before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, prior to the pandemic, 72 emergency surgeries for acute cholecystitis were performed, compared with 174 cases following the COVID-19 pandemic onset. This increase, particularly in mild and moderate acute cholecystitis cases, led to a significant rise in the proportion of laparoscopic resections and a concurrent decrease in postoperative hospital stays. Our findings suggest a potential increase in acute cholecystitis cases at our hospital coinciding with the COVID-19 pandemic. Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy, when feasible within the medical system’s capacity, can be an effective treatment strategy during the pandemic.