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.


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).


CONCLUSIONS
Based on this meta-analysis, cholecystectomy for biliary dyskinesia is an effective therapy and offers significant symptomatic relief over nonoperative therapy.
Ponsky
Todd A
TA
Department of Surgery, George Washington University Medical Center, Washington, DC 20037, USA.
DeSagun
Robert
R
Brody
Fredrick
F
D001657:Biliary Dyskinesia / Q000601:surgery* / Q000628:therapy; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D006801:Humans