Postcholecystectomy symptoms. A prospective study of gall stone patients before and two years after surgery.

The results of cholecystectomy in terms of symptomatic improvement were prospectively evaluated in 124 unselected gall stone patients interviewed before and two years after elective surgery. Indications for cholecystectomy were biliary pain (n = 65), previous complications of gall stone disease (n = 52), and flatulent dyspepsia (n = 7). At two years 93 patients could be re-evaluated, of whom only 49 (53%) were completely symptom free. Postcholecystectomy symptoms occurring in the remaining 44 patients were mainly flatulent dyspepsia (which had relapsed in 22 of 46 patients who suffered it preoperatively), dull abdominal pain or diarrhoea. Incisional hernia was present in five patients and one had recurrence of pain because of retained common bile duct stones. Symptomatic cures after cholecystectomy decreased with the duration of the preoperative history. The results reconfirm that cholecystectomy eradicates specific symptoms and complications of gall stone disease, but they also show that nearly one half of operated patients are dissatisfied with the procedure because of mild but distressing 'postcholecystectomy' symptoms. These are probably caused by previously undiagnosed functional gut disease associated with, but unrelated to, gall stones. A systemic approach to multisymptomatic patients with gall stones is recommended.