The value of ultrasound measurement of gallbladder wall thickness in predicting laparoscopic operability prior to cholecystectomy.

We prospectively analysed 51 consecutive cases who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy from June 1992 to February 1993. There were 35 cases of chronic cholecystitis and 16 cases of acute cholecystitis. All underwent pre-operative ultrasonography, complete blood cell count, liver function test and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. Of those 44 had post-operative ultrasound within the first 2 d and again on the seventh day. In 35 cases of chronic cholecystitis, 31 of 32 cases with a pre-operative gallbladder (GB) wall thickness of less than 6 mm were successfully resected laparoscopically. All three cases with a GB wall thicker than 6 mm were converted to open cholecystectomy. In acute cholecystitis, the wall thickness of the laparoscopic cholecystectomy group ranged from 2 to 9 mm (average 4 mm) and the wall thickness of the conversion group was 4-7 mm (average 6 mm). Post-operative fluid accumulation was noted in 28 (63.6%) cases. There was no correlation between post-operative pyrexia, duration of post-operative pain, clinical complications and the presence of fluid accumulation in the GB fossa. However, of four cases with increasing fluid on the seventh day, three developed complications. We conclude that ultrasonography is valuable in chronic cholecystitis for selecting cases for laparoscopic cholecystectomy.