Postcholecystectomy syndrome

Postcholecystectomy syndrome
SpecialtyGastroenterology Edit this on Wikidata

Postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) describes the presence of abdominal symptoms after a cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal).

Symptoms occur in about 5 to 40 percent of patients who undergo cholecystectomy,[1] and can be transient, persistent or lifelong.[2][3] The chronic condition is diagnosed in approximately 10% of postcholecystectomy cases.

The pain associated with postcholecystectomy syndrome is usually ascribed to either sphincter of Oddi dysfunction or to post-surgical adhesions.[4] A recent 2008 study shows that postcholecystectomy syndrome can be caused by biliary microlithiasis.[5] Approximately 50% of cases are due to biliary causes such as remaining stone, biliary injury, dysmotility and choledococyst. The remaining 50% are due to non-biliary causes. This is because upper abdominal pain and gallstones are both common but are not always related.

Non-biliary causes of PCS may be caused by a functional gastrointestinal disorder, such as functional dyspepsia.[6]

Chronic diarrhea in postcholecystectomy syndrome is a type of bile acid diarrhea (type 3).[3] This can be treated with a bile acid sequestrant like cholestyramine,[3] colestipol[2] or colesevelam,[7] which may be better tolerated.[8]

  1. ^ "Postcholecystectomy syndrome". WebMD. Archived from the original on 2007-07-02. Retrieved 2009-03-07.
  2. ^ a b Danley T, St Anna L (October 2011). "Postcholecystectomy diarrhea: What relieves it?". The Journal of Family Practice. 60 (10): 632c–d. PMID 21977493.
  3. ^ a b c Sciarretta G, Furno A, Mazzoni M, Malaguti P (December 1992). "Post-cholecystectomy diarrhea: evidence of bile acid malabsorption assessed by SeHCAT test". The American Journal of Gastroenterology. 87 (12): 1852–4. PMID 1449156.
  4. ^ Hyvärinen H, Sipponen P, Silvennoinen E (December 1990). "Intestinal adhesions: an overlooked cause of the postcholecystectomy syndrome". Hepatogastroenterology. 37 (Suppl 2): 58–61. PMID 2083937.
  5. ^ Okoro N, Patel A, Goldstein M, Narahari N, Cai Q (July 2008). "Ursodeoxycholic acid treatment for patients with postcholecystectomy pain and bile microlithiasis". Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. 68 (1): 69–74. doi:10.1016/j.gie.2007.09.046. PMID 18577477.
  6. ^ Schmidt M, Søndenaa K, Dumot JA, Rosenblatt S, Hausken T, Ramnefjell M, Njølstad G, Eide GE (28 March 2012). "Post-cholecystectomy symptoms were caused by persistence of a functional gastrointestinal disorder". World Journal of Gastroenterology. 18 (12): 1365–72. doi:10.3748/wjg.v18.i12.1365. PMC 3319963. PMID 22493550.
  7. ^ Odunsi-Shiyanbade ST, Camilleri M, McKinzie S, et al. (February 2010). "Effects of chenodeoxycholate and a bile acid sequestrant, colesevelam, on intestinal transit and bowel function". Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology. 8 (2): 159–65. doi:10.1016/j.cgh.2009.10.020. PMC 2822105. PMID 19879973.
  8. ^ Mottacki N, Simrén M, Bajor A (2016). "Review article: bile acid diarrhoea - pathogenesis, diagnosis and management". Aliment. Pharmacol. Ther. 43 (8): 884–898. doi:10.1111/apt.13570. PMID 26913381.