Percutaneous Cholecystostomy in Acute Calculus Cholecystitis: Current Management

Kumar Hari Rajah *

School of Medicine Clinical Campus, Taylor’s University, 4700 Sg Buloh, Selangor, Malaysia.

*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.


Abstract

Percutaneous cholecystostomy is an interventional radiological procedure that entails the insertion of a catheter into the gallbladder lumen for bile drainage. This procedure can be executed via either a transhepatic or transperitoneal approach. It is indicated for patients with severe acute calculus cholecystitis, serving to stabilise them prior to a subsequent laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Percutaneous cholecystostomy is considered a safe procedure, with the most prevalent complications being bleeding, perforation, and bile leakage. This chapter examined the role of percutaneous cholecystostomy in the management of acute calculus cholecystitis. Percutaneous cholecystostomy was compared with laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a definitive treatment for acute calculus cholecystitis, and the duration and timing of percutaneous cholecystostomy removal were explored. The study concluded that percutaneous cholecystostomy is a valuable, minimally invasive interim procedure for patients with severe acute calculus cholecystitis who are deemed unsuitable for surgical intervention.

Keywords: Acute calculus cholecystitis, percutaneous cholecystostomy, Tokyo guidelines, gallbladder drainage, transperitoneal approach, laparoscopic cholecystectomy


How to Cite

Rajah, K. H. (2026). Percutaneous Cholecystostomy in Acute Calculus Cholecystitis: Current Management. An Overview of Disease and Health Research Vol. 9, 142–155. https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/aodhr/v9/7032