152 Evaluating the Incidence and Predictors of Readmission in Patients Awaiting Cholecystectomy for Previously Diagnosed Acute Gallstone Disease

Abstract

Introduction The prevalence of gallstones up to 15%.20-40% will develop symptomatic gallstones and occupy most of the surgical waiting list. The timing of a cholecystectomy remains controversial. Method Retrospective data analysis over 2 years, including: diagnosis, commodities, ASA class, investigations, readmissions numbers and causes, time to surgery, operative details, and rate of conversion to open procedures. Chi-square test was used for analysis. Results 532 cholecystectomies were performed.44% of the patients had commodities. Presentations were; Acute cholecystitis (41.7%), biliary colic (23.1%), acute pancreatitis (15.9), obstructive jaundice (9.2%). USS was performed in 97.3%, CT scan in 17.8% and MRCP in 45.8%. 14% had ERCP. Re admission rate was 56.4%, between 1-6 times, secondary to; cholecystitis (12.5%), biliary colic (26.7), gallstone pancreatitis (8.2%), obstructive jaundice (8.0%), other complications (0.5-1.5%). Emergency cholecystectomy was performed in 14.9% with conversion rate 1.4%.major complication rate was 2.7. The median time on waiting list was 12 (0-123) weeks. This prolonged to 25 (0-400) weeks, when calculated at time of diagnosis. Complicated gallstones disease (p-value 0.0001) was predictors of recurrent symptoms and readmissions. Conclusions Management plan is due to optimize the timing of cholecystectomy to decrease the negative impact on readmission and complication rates plus the hospitals’ bed capacity and costs.