Surgical outcomes of patients with acute cholecystitis treated with gallbladder drainage followed by early cholecystectomy

This study aimed to investigate the impact of preoperative gallbladder drainage and the specific drainage method used on surgical outcomes in patients undergoing surgery for acute cholecystitis. This single-center retrospective cohort study included 221 patients who underwent early cholecystectomy between January 2016 and December 2020. Clinical data and outcomes of 140 patients who did not undergo drainage, 22 patients who underwent preoperative percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD), and 59 patients who underwent preoperative endoscopic naso-gallbladder drainage (ENGBD) were compared. There was no difference in the operation time, blood loss, postoperative complications, or length of postoperative hospital stay between patients who did and did not undergo drainage. Among patients who underwent drainage, there was no difference between the ENGBD and PTGBD groups in operation time, blood loss, or postoperative complications; however, more patients in the PTGBD group underwent laparotomy and had a significantly longer postoperative hospital stay. The presence and type of drainage were not risk factors for postoperative complications. The presence or absence of preoperative gallbladder drainage for acute cholecystitis and the type of drainage may not significantly affect surgical outcomes.