Unusual consequences of 'incomplete' laparoscopic cholecystectomy

Abstract

In recent years, laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) has become the standard surgical practice for the treatment of cholecystolithiasis. As a recognized technical difficulty, it may be associated with the mechanical injury of the gallbladder and/or spilling some of the gallstones into the abdominal cavity. The actual incidence of the latter complication is approximately 10%. The removal of lost stones from the abdominal cavity is rather elaborate if not infeasible. There is little information about the behaviour of retained gallstones in the free abdominal cavity. Publications report on subsequent intraperitoneal abscesses and fistulas or on the extreme localization of the impacted gallstones. This paper presents two cases with late complications of the abandoned gallstones or gallbladder. Case 1: A 56-year-old female patient underwent an LC 7 years ago. She was recently admitted with a chronic septic condition and suspected autoimmune disease. Preoperative examinations indicated hepatic abscess. Surgery showed gallstones impacted in the gallbladder bed. Case 2: A 59-year-old male patient underwent an LC a year before his admission. His operation was followed by the development of a septic condition and a subphrenic abscess was identified. During his reoperation, a remnant gallbladder containing bile stones was found and removed. Special attention should be paid to careful revision of residual stones during LC.