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Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy or Conservative Treatment in the Acute Cholecystitis of Elderly Patients

Not Applicable
Conditions
Cholecystitis, Acute
Interventions
Procedure: Non-operative treatment
Procedure: Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
Registration Number
NCT02972944
Lead Sponsor
Kuopio University Hospital
Brief Summary

Cholecystectomy is the only curative treatment for gallstone disease of acute calculous cholecystitis.The purpose of this study is to find the most effective treatment (laparoscopic cholecystectomy vs. conservative) for elderly patients with acute cholecystitis. Therefore a randomized multi-centre study of 200 elderly patients suffering from acute cholecystitis is performed with additional cohort of all elderly patients with acute cholecystitis in the study hospitals during study period.

Detailed Description

The increasing age is one of the main risk factors for developing complicated gallstone disease. Currently, there is lack of good quality studies comparing risks and benefits of early laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the elderly patients. Cholecystectomy is the only curative treatment for gallstone disease of acute calculous cholecystitis.

Aim: The purpose is to find out the most effective treatment (laparoscopic cholecystectomy vs. conservative) with the least morbidity for elderly patients with acute cholecystitis.

Study design: multicenter randomized controlled trial (RCT) and additional cohort of all elderly patients (\>75 years old) with acute cholecystitis.

Patient allocation: Elderly patients with diagnosis of acute cholecystitis will be randomly allocated to either early laparoscopic cholecystectomy or treatment with antibiotics. Reasonably healthy elderly patients (ASA 2-3) are included in this study, excluding the patients with ASA-class above 4.

Interventions: The study group of patients will undergo early laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 48 hours after hospitalization. The control group will be managed conservatively with intravenous antibiotics and elective cholecystectomy will not be scheduled later.

Primary outcome: Assessment of morbidities related to acute cholecystitis and individual quality of life. Secondary outcomes include number of hospital admissions, length of hospitalization, pain, complications, mortality and cost analysis.

Sample size and data-analysis: Based on data of previous studies the recruitment of 200 patients in total is expected. Follow-up will be for 12 months.

In addition of RCT, we decided to record and analyze all acute cholecystitis of elderly patients in study hospitals during the study period. We will present these results in the connection of RCT analysis.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
UNKNOWN
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
200
Inclusion Criteria
  • Radiologically confirmed acute cholecystitis
  • Age over 75 yrs
  • American Association of Anesthesiologists Classification class 2-3
  • Duration of symptoms < 5 days
Exclusion Criteria
  • American Association of Anesthesiologists Classification class 4-5
  • Age under 75 yrs
  • Peritonitis
  • Sepsis or septic shock
  • Duration of symptoms over 6 days
  • Cholestasis or diagnosed stone at common biliary duct.
  • Acute Pancreatitis

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Non-operative groupNon-operative treatmentPatients of non-operative group will be treated conservatively with intravenous antibiotics (cefuroxime) at surgical ward. Elective cholecystectomy will not be arranged.
Cholecystectomy groupLaparoscopic cholecystectomyCholecystectomy group will undergo laparoscopic cholecystectomy within 48 hrs after randomization.
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Specific Morbidity Index Scores1 year postoperatively

The primary outcome is morbidity, all complications will be scored (according to "morbidity-index" -chart) (ref: Gutt et al: Ann Surg 2013;258:385-393)

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Pain scores (0-100)pre-operatively, 1 week, 1 month and 1 year postoperatively

Pain (VAS, range 0-100)

Time of hospitalization (days)1 month

Length of time at hospital

Quality of life RAND-36 scorespre-operatively and 1 year postoperatively

Quality of life according to RAND-36

Mortality (number of patients)1 month

Death within 30 d

Number of patients with failure of antibiotic therapy1 week, 1 month and 1 year postoperatively

Recurrent cholecystitis after antibiotic therapy

Number of patients with complications1 week, 1 month and 1 year postoperatively

Bile duct injury, re-operations, bile leakage, hemorragia, wound infections, pneumonia etc.

Cost analysis in euros1 week, 1 month and 1 year postoperatively

cost analysis comparison between groups

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Kuopio University Hospital

🇫🇮

Kuopio, Pohjois-Savo, Finland

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