Percutaneous cholecystostomy in the management of acute cholecystitis-comparative analysis of before and after the COVID 19 pandemic.

Background: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) is a minimally invasive temporary treatment for patients with acute cholecys-titis (AC) who are at high risk for surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the characteristics of patients with AC treated with PC before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID 19) pandemic.

Methods: The data of patients who underwent PC with the diagnosis of AC between 2019 and 2021 were analyzed by scanning the hospital registry system. During the COVID 19 pandemic period of March 11, 2020, to March 11, 2021, 110 patients with AC were treated with PC. In the pre-pandemic period of March 2019 to March 2020, 99 patients who underwent PC were added to the study as a control group. The data of the 209 patients included in the study were recorded, and descriptive statistical analysis was performed. The patient characteristics of the two groups were compared.

Results: Evaluation was made of 209 patients who were diagnosed with AC between March 2019 and March 2021 and could not be operated on due to the high risk of surgery. The average age of the patients was 63.84 years (21-97) in the pandemic period and 68.43 years (31-100) in the pre-pandemic period. The rate of female patients was 45.5% in the pandemic group and 44.5% in the pre-pandemic group. The mean procedure-discharge time was 3.85 days in the pandemic period and 3.34 days pre-pandemic. The American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification (PS) was determined to be 1 or 2 in 56.4% of the pandemic group patients and 3 or 4 in 78.8% of the pre-pandemic group. There was no comorbidity accompanying AC in 45 (40.9%) patients in the pandemic period, and at least one comorbid condition accompanying AC was detected in 77 (77.8%) patients in the pre-pandemic period. The severity grading for AC was 2 (moderate) in 97.3% of the patients in the pandemic group and 3 (severe) in 26.3% of the patients in the pre-pandemic group. Of the 110 patients in the pandemic period, 14 were Covid 19 positive or suspected. PC-related mortality was not observed in either group.

Conclusion: PC is an effective and safe treatment method that reduced the operating room and intensive care burden during the exacerbation of the COVID 19 pandemic. Therefore, it seems like a logical option to expand the PC indications at times when the number of COVID 19 patients increases.