Researchers have devised a new decision tool to identify patients who are likely to have relief from pain post-cholecystectomy.

The Dutch study included data from 1561 patients symptomatic uncomplicated gallstones from two multicenter prospective trials: SECURE (Scrutinizing (In) efficient Use of Cholecystectomy: A Randomized Trial Concerning Variation in Practice) and Success (Standardized Work-up for Symptomatic Cholecystolithiasis).

Older age, no prior history of abdominal surgery or patients with more severe pain at baseline (increased baseline visual analog scale (VAS) pain score), radiation of pain to the back, pain that decreases with use of  simple analgesic drugs, nausea, or no heartburn were found to be associated with less pain after the surgical removal of the gallbladder.

Adopting this tool can help surgeons to decide preoperatively if patients with uncomplicated gallstone disease would benefit from cholecystectomy by predicting the likelihood of clinically relevant postoperative pain reduction.

(Source: Medscape August 25, 2021; JAMA Surg. Published online August 11, 2021. doi:10.1001/jamasurg.2021.3706)