Optimal Management of the Hyperkinetic Gallbladder: A Comparison of Outcomes Between Operative and Nonoperative Approaches.

BACKGROUND: A hyperkinetic gallbladder is defined as a hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan ejection fraction (EF) of >80%. This condition is poorly described, and there is no current consensus on optimal management. The intent of this study was to determine if cholecystectomy improves symptoms in patients with a hyperkinetic gallbladder when compared to those managed nonoperatively and if there were variables predictive of symptom improvement with or without cholecystectomy. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included patients from 3 academic hospitals in the Atlanta metro area between the years 2006 and 2018. All patients with an EF >80% were included. Following voluntary exclusion patients were contacted by phone. Each patient was administered a questionnaire regarding their surgical history, medical management, and current symptom profile via Otago score. Institutional Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. RESULTS: 4785 HIDA scans were performed, and 194 reported an EF >80% (incidence 15.7%). 96% of these scans were reported as normal by the radiologist. 68 patients were able to be contacted by phone and completed the questionnaire. 18 patients underwent cholecystectomy, and 89% reported that their symptoms attributed to gallbladder disease were no longer present. 50 patients did not undergo cholecystectomy, and alternate diagnoses, medication prescriptions, diet modification, emergency department visits, and Otago score were higher in this cohort. DISCUSSION: Patients who undergo cholecystectomy for a diagnosis of hyperkinetic gallbladder, on average, report improvement in symptoms when compared to patients managed nonoperatively. This study supports the practice of reporting and managing hyperkinetic gallbladders as a pathologic entity.

Biliary Dyskinesia: Fact or fiction?

Nearly 20,000 pediatric patients undergo cholecystectomy annually, and abnormal gallbladder emptying ("biliary dyskinesia") has replaced cholelithiasis as the leading indication for this operation in the USA. Nonetheless, patients with abnormal gallbladder emptying nuclear medicine scans do not uniformly benefit from cholecystectomy. This article reviews the available data on presentation, workup and treatment of patients with abnormally low and high rates of gallbladder emptying.

An Update on Biliary Dyskinesia.

Biliary dyskinesia is a functional disorder of the gallbladder or sphincter of Oddi. While cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis is widely accepted, debate remains regarding the clinical benefit of invasive procedures for biliary dyskinesia. This article will review current best evidence in the diagnosis and management of biliary dyskinesia.

Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy vs Active Nonoperative Therapy for the Treatment of Biliary Dyskinesia.

BACKGROUND: Despite widespread adoption by the surgical community, high-quality prospective data supporting the practice of laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) for the treatment of biliary dyskinesia (BD) are lacking. STUDY DESIGN: Adult patients meeting criteria for diagnosis of BD (Rome III symptoms, normal ultrasound, gallbladder ejection fraction < 38%) were randomized to either LC or a trial of nonoperative (NO) therapy with a low-dose neuromodulator (amitriptyline 25 mg/day). Patients in the NO arm were allowed to cross over to the surgical arm and remain in the study for any reason. Besides collection of basic demographics and medical/surgical history, patients were administered a standardized quality of life (QOL) assessment (Short Form-8) and a symptom-specific questionnaire (Rome III criteria) at enrollment and monthly through the study to assess the effect of treatment on biliary symptoms and overall QOL. RESULTS: Thirty patients were enrolled over 12 months (15 LC, 15 NO). In the LC group, 13 underwent LC, 1 refused surgery, 1 withdrew. In the NO group, 14 crossed over to the LC group (13 of whom had LC), yielding 26 patients who underwent LC. The SF-8 physical scores (PCS-8) were significantly improved at both the first and last follow-up visits (p < 0.0001, p = 0.0003, respectively). The SF-8 mental scores (MCS-8) were also significantly improved at both the first and last follow-up visits (p = 0.0187, p = 0.0017, respectively). With median follow-up of 12 months (range 3 to 14 months), all 26 reported relief of pain. CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study raises doubts regarding the feasibility of a randomized trial, presumably due to both clinician and patient bias toward LC and the lack of "gold-standard" nonoperative treatments. However, these prospective data indicate that, with careful patient selection (standardized symptom criteria/imaging methodology), LC results in pain relief and significant improvement in QOL in BD patients. Further prospective study of these findings is warranted.

Symptomatic cholelithiasis and functional disorders of the biliary tract.

Symptomatic cholelithiasis and functional disorders of the biliary tract present with similar signs and symptoms. The functional disorders of the biliary tract include functional gallbladder disorder, dyskinesia, and the sphincter of Oddi disorders. Although the diagnosis and treatment of symptomatic cholelithiasis are relatively straightforward, the diagnosis and treatment of functional disorders can be much more challenging. Many aspects of the diagnosis and treatment of functional disorders are in need of further study. This article discusses uncomplicated gallstone disease and the functional disorders of the biliary tract to emphasize and update the essential components of diagnosis and management.

Osteopathic manipulative treatment in the management of biliary dyskinesia.

Biliary dyskinesia is a functional gastrointestinal disorder of the gallbladder and sphincter of Oddi. Diagnosis is made on the basis of symptoms of biliary colic in the absence of cholelithiasis and gallbladder inflammation. Palpatory findings of tissue texture changes at midthoracic levels (T6-T9) may correspond to visceral dysfunction related to the biliary system. Osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) of the T6-T9 segments can remove the feedback related to the somatic component, thereby affecting nociceptive facilitation at the spinal level and allowing the body to restore autonomic balance. Few reports in the current literature provide examples of treatment for patients with biliary dyskinesia using OMT. The author describes the case of a 51-year-old woman who presented with symptoms consistent with biliary dyskinesia. Her biliary colic completely resolved after OMT. Osteopathic evaluation and OMT should be considered a safe and effective option for conservative management of biliary dyskinesia.

Concomitant gastroparesis negatively affects children with functional gallbladder disease.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine whether concomitant gastroparesis and biliary dyskinesia (BD) occur in children, and if so, to determine whether concomitant gastroparesis affects clinical outcome in children with BD. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of children with BD (ejection fraction <35% on cholescintigraphy, with no other metabolic or structural cause) who completed a solid-phase gastric emptying scintigraphy scan within 12 months of abnormal cholescintigraphy. Children were classified into 1 of 4 clinical outcome groups (excellent, good, fair, poor). RESULTS: Thirty-five children with a mean follow-up time of 23.1±17.3 (standard deviation) months were included. Twenty (57%) children were identified as having concomitant gastroparesis (GP) with BD. Children with concomitant GP were more likely to have a poor clinical outcome compared with those with BD alone (P<0.005). In children undergoing cholecystectomy, those with concomitant GP were more likely to have a fair or poor clinical outcome compared with those with BD alone (P<0.01). Factors predicting a more favorable clinical outcome were having BD alone and not having limitations in activity (eg, school absences) at the time of presentation. CONCLUSIONS: Concomitant GP may occur in children with functional gallbladder disorders. Concomitant GP may negatively affect clinical outcome in children with BD.

Evaluation of gastrointestinal pathology and treatment in children with suspected biliary dyskinesia.

AIM: Decreased gallbladder ejection fraction (GBEF) was reported in patients who had abdominal pain and gastrointestinal (GI) diseases. The study aims were to review pathology of GI tract in children with acalculous biliary-type abdominal pain and to evaluate the pain improvement after a 2-week trial of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) and laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC). METHODS: Children below 18 years of age with a history of biliary-type abdominal pain by ROME III criteria were evaluated. All underwent an upper endoscopy and their histologic findings of the proximal GI tract were reviewed. Responses to a 2-week trial of PPI and LC were analyzed. RESULTS: Sixteen were identified with biliary-type abdominal pain with GBEF <35%. Endoscopic and histologic evidence of reflux esophagitis was observed in 11 children those of gastritis in 3 children. A GI pathology of these children is mostly acid-related and four of ten children experienced a complete response to PPIs and did not require LC. Nine children had LC; four had complete and four had partial pain improvement. CONCLUSION: A trial of PPIs may be cost-effective prior to considering LC in these patients since four of ten children experienced a complete response to PPIs without the requirement of LC, compared with four of nine children who improved completely.

[Chrono- and reflexotherapy for the treatment of the biliary tract dysfunctions].

The objective of this work was to develop a scientifically sound rationale for the method of reflex correction of biliary tract dysfunction based on chronobiological data concerning functioning of the acupuncture points corresponding to biliary ducts. It was shown that patients presenting with biliary dyskinesia (i.e., forming desynchronism) experience a shift of both skin temperature and electrical resistance at the acupuncture points. The chronoreflexotherapeutic technique employed in this study makes it possible to rapidly restore disturbed biorhythms of functioning of the biliary system, normalize the motor-evacuating activity of the gallbladder, and eliminate clinical manifestations of the disease.

[Pathogenesis of chronic acalculous cholecystitis in inhabitants of the Republic of Chuvashia].

The study of Serum content of Selenium, Zinc, Manganese in inhabitants of the Republic of Chuvashia and also in chronic acalculous cholecystitis patients. Possibility of correction motor dysfunction of gallbladder with the use of natural mineral water "Syvlah-Zdorovie".

The treatment of gallbladder dyskinesia based upon symptoms: results of a 2-year, prospective, nonrandomized, concurrent cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Gallbladder dyskinesia (GD) is controversial. We sought to determine the success rate of cholecystectomy or observation in treating patients with GD with intervention decisions based upon clearly defined symptoms. METHODS: Ninety-three consecutive patients with documented GD were enrolled into a 2-year prospective study. Based upon the presenting symptoms categorized as either classic for gallbladder pathology or atypical, patients underwent cholecystectomy (classic) or observation (atypical). We defined dyskinesia as a cholecystokinin (CCK)-stimulated ejection fraction (EF) <35% on nuclear cholescintigraphy and a negative gallbladder ultrasound. RESULTS: Classic gallbladder symptoms were identified in 61 patients and an atypical presentation occurred in 32 patients. The EF with CCK stimulation was not significantly different between the groups (19+/-9% vs. 16+/-7%, P=0.12). Of those with atypical symptoms, 28% (9 out of 32) had resolution of their symptoms without surgery. About 72% (23 out of 32) had worsening or progressive symptoms that did not resolve during observation, and later underwent surgery. Of these, 57% (13 out of 23) had resolution of their symptoms after surgery, but 43% (10 out of 23) had no improvement. Of those with classic symptoms, 60 patients underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy with resolution of symptoms in 58 (97%). Patients with classic symptoms were 22 times more likely to have relief after cholecystectomy (odds ratio 22.3, P=0.0002). Eight patients had their symptoms recur more than 1 year after surgery (3 atypical and 5 classic) such that at long-term follow-up, cholecystectomy had helped only 43% of the atypical patients and 88% of the classic patients. CONCLUSIONS: Classic biliary symptoms are more predictive of success after cholecystectomy in patients with GD than is EF. The symptoms that are most predictive of success after surgery are right upper quadrant pain, pain after meals, and reproduction of the pain after CCK administration. Patients with atypical symptoms are much less likely to have improvement after surgery and should be observed; however, recurrent or progressive symptoms should prompt intervention if all additional testing is negative.

Biliary dyskinesia in the pediatric patient.

The term biliary dyskinesia commonly describes a motility disorder of the biliary tract that is divided into two main categories: gallbladder dyskinesia (GBD) and sphincter of Oddi dysfunction (SOD). SOD is further subdivided into biliary SOD and pancreatic SOD. GBD causes typical biliary colic without gallstones, whereas SOD typically presents with recurrent pancreatitis or chronic abdominal pain, usually after cholecystectomy. GBD and SOD are uncommon in children. Based on adult experience, this review discusses the diagnosis and treatment of GBD and SOD in the pediatric population.

[Vegetotropic therapy and hypobaric hypoxic adaptation in gallbladder motor dysmotility].

The study of 67 chronic biliary patients (36 - gallbladder dysfunction, 25 acalculuous cholecystitis, 6 - cholelithiasis) was revealed their functional dysadaptation characterized by gallbladder dysmotility and autonomic dysfunction. Vegetotropic therapy (Propranolol, Metoclopramid, Atropine) according to the autonomic regulation activity has advantages in correction of the gallbladder dysmotility in comparison to the routine pharmacotherapy. Hypobaric hypoxic adaptation results in the increase of gallbladder emptying that opens perspectives for the non-pharmacological correction of the gallbladder hypokinetic dyskinesia.

[Spa treatment of postcholecystectomy syndrome].

In 40% cases pain and dyspepsia do not disappear after cholecystectomy made by laparotomic or laparoscopic method. The aim of the study was to introduce a new method of ultrasonic diagnosis of biliary excretion and to formulate principles of postcholecystectomy syndrome treatment depending on the dyskinesia form. The new method diagnosed 6 variants of biliary excretion: normal (7.2%), hypokinetic (42.8%), hypertonic (28.3%), hypertonic-hypokinetic (5.0%), hyperkinetic (14.5%), hypertonic-hyperkinetic (2.2%). The patients received differentiated treatment depending on the type of biliary excretion. The results of such spa treatment were much better than the results of standard therapy.

A comparison of cholecystectomy and observation in children with biliary dyskinesia.

PURPOSE: The success rate of ameliorating the preoperative symptoms of biliary dyskinesia in a pediatric population has been reported to be approximately 80%. The purpose of this study was to identify patient characteristics that may help to predict successful clinical outcomes in pediatric patients with biliary dyskinesia by comparing 2 groups of pediatric patients: those who underwent cholecystectomy and those who received no surgical intervention (control group). METHODS: The medical charts of pediatric patients who had an ejection fraction of less than 35% and no other identifiable abnormalities revealed on diagnostic testing were retrospectively reviewed. Information regarding psychological diagnoses/treatment, diagnostic examination findings, histologic findings, and outcomes were collected. Patients were evaluated at 1 month and 2 years postoperatively. RESULTS: From 1995 through 2003, 55 pediatric patients were identified. All patients had an abnormal ejection fraction on hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan. The patients were divided into 2 groups: those who underwent cholecystectomy (n = 35) and a control group who did not receive surgical intervention (n = 20). Of those who underwent cholecystectomy, 74% improved, whereas 75% of the control group showed improvement after 2 years. Of all patient characteristics evaluated, only weight loss was found to be significant for determining patient outcomes. CONCLUSION: When followed for a long enough period of time, outcomes were similar between the 2 groups. Of the patients whose symptoms improved, those who underwent cholecystectomy had a quicker resolution of abdominal pain than those who did not undergo surgery. With the exception of weight loss, none of the patient characteristics evaluated in this study proved to be statistically significant for predicting a positive outcome.

Biliary dyskinesia in pediatrics.

Biliary dyskinesia is a potential cause for acalculous biliary colic in pediatric patients. A triad of symptoms and signs, consisting of abdominal pain (with or without associated nausea or fatty food intolerance), absence of gallstones, and an abnormally low cholecystokinin-stimulated gallbladder ejection fraction is used to diagnose the disorder. In several small pediatric case series, cholecystectomy resulted in symptomatic improvement in a majority of patients with biliary dyskinesia. However, the diagnosis of biliary dyskinesia and appropriate management remain controversial. This review discusses the purported pathophysiology of biliary dyskinesia and the data available regarding diagnosis and treatment of this entity in the pediatric population.

Surgical therapy for biliary dyskinesia: a meta-analysis and review of the literature.

BACKGROUND: Although biliary dyskinesia is treated commonly with cholecystectomy, the supporting literature is limited. A review and meta-analysis of the literature were performed to assess the efficacy of surgical therapy for biliary dyskinesia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A MEDLINE search for the period 1965 to 2003, using the search strings "biliary," "acalculous," "dyskinesia," "cholecystitis," "cholecystectomy," and "therapy" returned 187 articles. Inclusion criteria required a study design that placed patients with biliary dyskinesia into one of two treatment groups, cholecystectomy or nonoperative therapy, and a follow-up assessment of symptomatic improvement. RESULTS: Five studies met the inclusion criteria, representing a total of 274 patients. Surgical therapy resulted in 98% symptomatic relief compared to 32% with nonoperative management (P<0.0001). Patients undergoing surgical therapy for biliary dyskinesia were 2.79 times more likely to have symptomatic relief versus nonoperative therapy (95% confidence interval, 2.05-3.79). CONCLUSION: Based on this meta-analysis, cholecystectomy for biliary dyskinesia is an effective therapy and offers significant symptomatic relief over nonoperative therapy.