Biliary causes of postcholecystectomy syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The postcholecystectomy syndrome refers to the persistence of gastrointestinal symptoms after cholecystectomy; patients with this syndrome commonly seek treatment in the Emergency Department (ED). There are a multitude of biliary and non-biliary causes of postcholecystectomy syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To review the biliary causes of postcholecystectomy syndrome and present a suggested diagnostic workup.

DISCUSSION: A number of biliary causes are discussed, including choledocholithiasis, bile duct injury and biliary leaks, cystic duct and gallbladder remnants, sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, and biliary ascariasis. The ED workup should focus on differentiating biliary from non-biliary causes of the patient's symptoms.

CONCLUSION: A right upper quadrant abdominal ultrasound, liver transaminases, alkaline phosphatase, and serum bilirubin are the tests most useful in the ED for making this distinction and determining the most appropriate treatment and disposition of the patient. Computed tomography may be of use in the initial post-operative period.