Conditions associated with a difficult cholecystectomy
Conditions associated with a difficult cholecystectomy
Difficulty in operative access and exposure:
Previous upper abdominal surgery
Obesity
Inflammatory processes involving the gallbladder:
Severe chronic cholecystitis
Older age, male sex
Multiple prior attacks of biliary colic
Thickened gallbladder wall on ultrasound
Shrunken, contracted gallbladder on imaging
Acute cholecystitis
Gangrenous cholecystitis
Emphysematous cholecystitis
Perforated gallbladder
Mirizzi's syndrome
Other conditions:
Cirrhosis
A difficult cholecystectomy may be predicted preoperatively based on these patient characteristics, based on which the surgeon should take steps to ensure the safe performance of the procedure.