Long-Term Outcomes of Endoscopic Gallbladder Drainage for Cholecystitis in Poor Surgical Candidates: An Updated Comprehensive Review

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard and fundamental treatment of choice for acute cholecystitis; however, there are cases in which patients may be poor surgical candidates due to advanced age, comorbidities, and/or general condition. The rate of recurrent cholecystitis is high in patients who are not surgically treated; therefore, the prevention of recurrence in this patient population is an important subject of investigation in the management of cholecystitis. Although it has recently been reported that long-term stent placement by endoscopic gallbladder stenting or endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage may reduce the recurrence rate, its efficacy and safety remain controversial. Additionally, details surrounding the long-term stent management of these treatment methods should be further investigated. In this review, we summarize the updated evidence regarding the usefulness of long-term stent placement with endoscopic gallbladder stenting or endoscopic ultrasound-guided gallbladder drainage as a preventive measure for recurrence of cholecystitis and discuss issues that should be addressed in future studies.