title: Reversibility of central neuronal changes in patients recovering from gallbladder stones or acute cholecystitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the referred pain area in patients 2-7 years after cholecystectomy in order to test the hypothesis that neuroplastic changes could give rise to post cholecystectomy pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients were tested. Twenty five were cholecystectomized due to uncomplicated gallbladder stones and 15 because of acute cholecystitis. Sensitivity to pinprick, heat, cold, pressure and single and repeated electrical stimulation was studied both in the referred pain area and in the control area on the contra lateral side of the abdomen.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Five patients still intermittently suffered from pain. But in the objective test of the 40 patients, no statistical significant difference was found between the referred pain area and the control area.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not support the hypothesis that de novo neuroplastic changes could develop several years after cholecys-tectomy.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Gastroenterology Department L, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark. danjam@mail.dk
authors.forename: Daniel-W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kjaer
authors.forename: Marek
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Stawowy
authors.forename: Lars
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Arendt-Nielsen
authors.forename: Asbjorn-Mohr
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Drewes
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Funch-Jensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D041881:Cholecystitis, Acute / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D042882:Gallstones / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009473:Neuronal Plasticity / Q000502:physiology*; D017288:Pain Threshold; D053591:Referred Pain / Q000503:physiopathology; D013997:Time Factors