To investigate the rates of interval cholecystectomy and recurrent cholecystitis after initial percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) and identify predictors of patient outcome after PC.

A total of 144 patients with acute cholecystitis who were treated with PC were included. There were 96 men and 48 women, with a mean age of 71±13 (SD) years (range: 25–100 years). Patient characteristics, diagnostic imaging studies and results of laboratory tests at initial presentation, clinical outcomes after the initial PC treatment were reviewed.

Among the 144 patients, 56 patients were referred for acute acalculous and 88 patients for calculus cholecystitis. Five procedure-related major complications (3.6%) were observed including bile peritonitis (n=3), hematoma (n=1) and abscess formation (n=1). Recurrent acute cholecystitis after initial clinical resolution and PC tube removal was observed in 8 patients (6.0%). The rate of interval cholecystectomy was 33.6% (47/140) with an average interval period of 100±482 (SD) days (range: 3–1017 days). PC was a definitive treatment in 85 patients (60.7%) whereas 39 patients (27.9%) had elective interval cholecystectomy without having recurrent cholecystitis. The clinical outcomes after PC did not significantly differ between patients with calculous cholecystitis and those with acalculous cholecystitis. Multiple prior abdominal operations were associated with higher rates of recurrent cholecystitis.

For both acute acalculous and calculous cholecystitis, PC is an effective and definitive treatment modality for more than two thirds of our study patients over 3.5-year study period with low rates of recurrent disease and interval cholecystectomy.