Management guidelines for gallstone pancreatitis. Are the targets achievable?

Context: Current management of gallstone pancreatitis in a university hospital.

Objective: Comparison of current management of gallstone pancreatitis with recommendations in national guidelines.

Setting: Tertiary care centre in Scotland.

Endoscopic sphincterotomy and interval cholecystectomy are reasonable alternatives to index cholecystectomy in severe acute gallstone pancreatitis (GSP).

Background: UK guidelines for gallstone pancreatitis (GSP) advocate definitive treatment during the index admission, or within 2 weeks of discharge. However, this target may not always be achievable. This study reviewed current management of GSP in a university hospital and evaluated the risk associated with interval cholecystectomy.