Pain may persist after gallbladder removal

Persisting abdominal pain 5 years after the operation is mainly of a nonspecific type, found in younger women who had noncomplicated gallstone disease, reports the Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery.

After removal of the gallbladder, pain may persist in some patients.

Dr Morten Vetrhus and colleagues from Norway studied this condition in 124 patients from 2 randomized trials.

The researchers interviewed 90 patients with symptomatic noncomplicated gallbladder stones and 34 with acute cholecystitis.

The overall number of patients with postoperative pain was 22%

Journal of Gastrointestinal Surgery

The research team reported that 139 patients were excluded from both trials responded to a questionnaire 5 years after the operation.

The team found that 27% of those randomized had pain, 18% had diffuse, steady pain; and 9% had pain attacks resembling their preoperative symptoms.

A significant dominance of diffuse pain occurred in women, especially those younger than 60 years.

The team observed that dominance of the diffuse type was also present in the group of female patients with symptomatic noncomplicated gallbladder stones.

Of the excluded patients, 18% had pain, but 88% of them were satisfied with the result of the operation.

The researchers noted that the overall number of patients with postoperative pain was 22%.

Dr Vetrhus' team concluded, “Persisting abdominal pain 5 years after the operation was mainly of a nonspecific type, found mostly in younger women who had had noncomplicated gallstone disease.”

“We also found that 88% of the excluded patients declared themselves satisfied with the result of cholecystectomy.”