RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Clinical and operative outcomes of patients with acute cholecystitis who are treated initially with image-guided cholecystostomy JF Canadian Journal of Surgery JO CAN J SURG FD Canadian Medical Association SP 195 OP 199 DO 10.1503/cjs.003517 VO 61 IS 3 A1 Ida Molavi A1 Angela Schellenberg A1 Francis Christian YR 2018 UL http://canjsurg.ca/content/61/3/195.abstract AB Background: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) tube placement followed by delayed cholecystectomy has been shown to be an effective treatment option in high-risk populations such as older and critically ill patients. The goal of this study was to review the short -and long-term clinical and operative outcomes of patients with acute cholecystitis initially treated with PC tube placement.Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent image-guided PC tube insertion between 2001 and 2011 at the Royal University Hospital or St. Paul’s Hospital, Saskatoon. Clinical outcomes, complications and elective cholecystectomy follow-up were noted.Results: A total of 140 patients underwent PC tube insertion, 76 men and 64 women with a mean age of 68.4 (standard deviation 17.7) years. Of the 140, 94 (67.1%) had an American Society of Anesthesiologists classification score of III or IV. Percutaneous cholecystostomy tubes remained in place for a median of 21.0 days, and the median hospital stay was 7.0 days. Readmission owing to complications from PC tubes occurred in 21 patients (15.0%), and 10 (7.1%) were readmitted with recurrent cholecystitis after tube removal. Forty-four patients (31.4%) returned for subsequent elective cholecystectomy, of whom 32 (73%) underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy, 4 (9%) underwent open cholecystectomy, and 8 (18%) underwent laparoscopic converted to open cholecystectomy.Conclusion: Percutaneous cholecystostomy is a safe procedure that can be performed in patients who are older or have numerous comorbidities. However, less than one-third of such patients in our cohort subsequently had the definitive intervention of elective cholecystectomy, with a high rate of conversion from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy.