[Value of routine preoperative oesophagogastroduodenoscopy before elective cholecystectomy].
BACKGROUND
Symptomatic gallstones and inflammatory diseases of the gastroduodenum are common causes of upper abdominal pain. PATIENTS / MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated the data of 766  patients who underwent pre-operative oesophagogastroduodenoscopy before elective surgical treatment of cholelithiasis between January  1, 2003 and March 31, 2008.


RESULTS
Pathological findings of an inflammatory nature were seen in 43.1 % (330 / 766), 25.2 % (197 / 766) of the patients had a chronic gastritis, 14.9 % (114 / 766) an acute gastritis and 3 % (54 / 766) a gastroduodenal ulcer. Non-specific upper abdominal pain was not significantly related to an inflammatory gastroduodenal dis-ease (p = 0.0755). Independent of the history (p = 0.1065), the therapy concept had to be -changed in favour of a primary non-surgical therapy in 16.3 % (125 / 766) of the examined patients due to relevant gastroscopic findings.


CONCLUSIONS
The case history is not sufficient for identifying gastroduodenal disease requiring treatment in patients with symptomatic gall-stones. Therefore, contrary to the current leading concepts, preoperative oesophagogastroduodenoscopy should be discussed as a matter of -routine in patients undergoing elective cholecystectomy in order to treat pathological gastroduodenal findings.
Dimitriou
I
I
Alfried Krupp Krankenhaus, Klinik für Allgemeine Chirurgie, Unfallchirurgie, Gefäßchirurgie, Essen, Deutschland. ioannis.dimitriou@kruppkrankenhaus.de
Reckmann
B
B
Nephuth
O
O
Betzler
M
M
D000465:Algorithms; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D016145:Endoscopy, Digestive System; D042882:Gallstones / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005756:Gastritis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016481:Helicobacter Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016480:Helicobacter pylori; D006801:Humans; D010347:Patient Care Planning; D010437:Peptic Ulcer / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011300:Preoperative Care; D012189:Retrospective Studies