Acute cholecystitis during the COVID-19 pandemic: is percutaneous cholecystostomy a good alternative for treatment?

Aim: To evaluate the efficacy, safety, and results of percutaneous cholecystostomy in patients with acute cholecystitis diagnosed with COVID-19. Material and Method: The demographic characteristics, comorbidities, and acute cholecystitis grading of patients according to the Tokyo guideline 2018 (TG18) were evaluated. Mortality, laboratory parameters, radiological findings, physical status scores according to the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) assessment, and the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) were retrospectively evaluated in a total of 38 patients who underwent percutaneous cholecystostomy. Results: The mean age of the 38 patients was 75±9 years, and 21 (55.3%) were female and 17 (44.7%) were male. According to TG18, 33 (86.8%) of the patients had grade II and five (13.2%) had grade III cholecystitis, while there was no grade I case. The mean CCI of the patients was 7.32±2.1. The ASA scores were mostly IIIE, followed by IIE. The COVID-19 test was positive in 33 (86.8%) of the patients. Mortality developed in four (10.5%) patients during hospitalization. Conclusion: Percutaneous cholecystostomy can be considered as a safe, effective, and alternative method in the treatment of patients with acute cholecystitis.