Functional gallbladder disorder: Interim analysis of a prospective cohort study

Abstract

Background: Functional gallbladder disorder (FGBD) remains a controversial indication for cholecystectomy.

Methods: A prospective cohort study enrolled patients strictly meeting Rome criteria for FGBD, and cholecystectomy was performed. They were assessed pre- and 3 and 6 months postoperatively with surveys of abdominal pain and quality of life (RAPID and SF-12 surveys, respectively). Interim analysis was performed.

Results: Although neither ejection fraction nor pain reproduction predicted success after cholecystectomy, the vast majority of enrolled patients had a successful outcome after undergoing cholecystectomy for FGBD: of a planned 100 patients, 46 were enrolled. Of 31 evaluable patients, 26 (83.9 ​%) reported RAPID improvement and 28 (93.3 ​%) SF12 improvement at 3- or 6-month follow-up.

Conclusion: FGBD, strictly diagnosed, should perhaps no longer be a controversial indication for cholecystectomy, since its success rate for biliary pain in this study was similar to that for symptomatic cholelithiasis. Larger-scale studies or randomized trials may confirm these findings.

Keywords: Biliary dyskinesia; Cholecystectomy; Functional gallbladder disorder; Gallbladder dysfunction; ROME criteria.