Percutaneous Transhepatic Gallbladder Intervention as a Bridge to Cholecystectomy: Aspiration or Drainage?

Background Percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder aspiration (PTGBA) and percutaneous transhepatic gallbladder drainage (PTGBD) are often the first-line treatments for acute cholecystitis, instead of surgical cholecystectomy. This retrospective study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes of PTGBA and PTGBD and evaluate the risks of treatment failure among patients undergoing PTGBA before surgical cholecystectomy. Methods We retrospectively reviewed 99 patients who underwent PTGBA or PTGBD as the first-line treatment before surgical cholecystectomy, between January 2014 and December 2019. Patient characteristics, computed tomography (CT) findings, and post-treatment outcomes were compared between the PTGBA and PTGBD groups. Additionally, risk factors, including CT findings for PTGBA failure, were assessed using multivariate univariate analysis with a backward selection model. Results Acute cholecystitis was not controlled in 21 of 47 (44.7%) patients in the PTGBA group and one of 52 patients (1.9%) in the PTGBD group ( P