Percutaneous cholecystostomy versus laparoscopic cholecystectomy in patients with acute cholecystitis and failed conservative management: a matched-pair analysis.

Introduction: The role of percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) or laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) in the management of patients with acute cholecystitis presenting beyond 72 hours from the onset of symptoms is unclear and undefined. The aim of this study was to examine and compare the outcomes of PC or LC in the management of these patients, who failed 24 hours of initial nonoperative management.

Patients And Methods: A retrospective chart review between January 1999 and October 2010 revealed 261 patients with acute calculus cholecystitis beyond 72 hours from onset of symptoms who failed initial nonoperative management.