Wound infection after cholecystectomy. Correlation between bacteria in bile and wound infection after operation on the gallbladder for acute and chronic gallstone disease.

OBJECTIVE

To see if there was a difference in the wound infection rates after operation for acute and chronic cholecystitis, and to see if the presence of bacteria in the bile had any influence on those rates.

DESIGN

Prospective open study.

SETTING

University hospital.

SUBJECTS: 213 Patients undergoing cholecystectomy for acute or chronic gallstone disease.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of postoperative wound infection, and of bile cultures growing pathogenic organism.

RESULTS

There was no difference in wound infection rates between patients operated on for acute and those operated on for chronic cholecystitis. The presence of bacteria in the bile did not seem to influence the wound infection rate in either group.

CONCLUSIONS

Early cholecystectomy and appropriate antibiotic prophylaxis result in an acceptably low wound infection rate, and the growth of bacteria from bile is not predictive of the development of wound infection.