Early Cholecystectomy for calculous cholecystitis safe, without intraoperative complications

A recent study addressing the optimal timing for Early Cholecystectomy (EC) in patients with acute calculous cholecystitis (ACC) has provided valuable insights into the management of this condition. The study, a multicentric prospective observational research effort, focused on patients with ACC who underwent cholecystectomy within ten days from the onset of symptoms.

The study was published in Healthcare journal by Paola Fugazzola and colleagues. The findings, based on data from 1,117 patients studied over a year, are encouraging and have significant implications for clinical practice. The patients were divided into three groups based on the timing of the cholecystectomy: those who underwent the procedure within 0–3 days, 4–7 days, and 8–10 days from the onset of symptoms.

The study’s primary objective was to determine whether the timing of EC affected various post-operative outcomes. The research did not identify any significant differences in post-operative complications, mortality, conversion rates, and the need for reintervention among the different timing groups.

However, the timing of EC did have a notable impact on intraoperative complications and the rate of subtotal cholecystectomies. Specifically, the study revealed that earlier EC (within 0–3 days) resulted in a lower risk of intraoperative complications (2.8%) compared to patients who had surgery between 4–7 days (5.6%) or 8–10 days (7.9%) after symptom onset.