Postoperative acute cholecystitis: sonographic diagnosis.

This paper discusses ten patients who developed acute cholecystitis during the postoperative period following surgery which did not involve the gall bladder. All were examined with ultrasound during the first two weeks after surgery and were diagnosed as acute cholecystitis. Six (60%) had complications such as empyema, gangrene, perforation, pericholecystic abscess or localized peritonitis; four (40%) had no evidence of complications. The authors highlight the importance of ultrasound (US) as the technique of choice for a first screening if this entity is suspected because of its speed and high diagnostic reliability.