title: The influence of gallbladder function on the symptomatology in gallstone patients, and the outcome after cholecystectomy or expectancy.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to examine whether gallbladder function as assessed by a hepatobiliary scintigraphy was related to the symptomatology in gallstone patients and to the outcome 1 year after either cholecystectomy or watchful waiting. The study included 100 patients with uncomplicated gallstone disease. Fifty-six patients had a functioning gallbladder and 44 had a nonfunctioning gallbladder. Patients with a nonfunctioning gallbladder had significantly more vomiting and received more pain-killing injections during pain attacks. Otherwise, there were no differences in pain patterns or characteristics of dyspeptic symptoms in relation to gallbladder function. In patients with a functioning gallbladder, there were no significant differences between the group of patients with impaired and normal gallbladder function. Cholecystectomy was performed in 69 patients and at the 1-year follow-up; 22% continued to have pain attacks, but this was not related to the gallbladder function preoperatively. In 31 patients without cholecystectomy, 14 patients became asymptomatic within a 1-year follow-up. However, this was not related to gallbladder function. In conclusion, gallbladder function evaluated by a hepatobiliary scintigraphy was not related to the symptoms in gallstone patients, and was not related to the occurrence of symptoms after cholecystectomy or watchful waiting.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Odense University Hospital, Finsens All6 22, Odense M, 5230 Denmark. tkl@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Thomas Kjaergaard
authors.initials: TK
authors.lastname: Larsen
authors.forename: Niels
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Qvist
mesh_terms: D015746:Abdominal Pain / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000814:Aniline Compounds; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D041761:Cholecystolithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000601:surgery; D004415:Dyspepsia / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D005998:Glycine; D006801:Humans; D007098:Imino Acids; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000814:Aniline Compounds; D007098:Imino Acids; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C034837:technetium Tc 99m mebrofenin; D005998:Glycine