Clinical Trial: Piperacllin Versus Placebo in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Acute Cholecystitis

Study Status: Recruiting
Recruit Status: Recruiting
Study Type: Interventional

Official Title: Piperacllin Versus Placebo in Patients Undergoing Surgery for Acute Cholecystitis

Brief Summary: The benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis is insufficiently known. The aim of the present double-blind randomized controlled is to compare piperacilin with placebo in patients undergoing cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis with anamnesis not exceeding 5 days. Altogether 100 patients are intended to be included. Primary endpoint is biliary contamination. Secondary endpoints are postoperative hospital stay, health-related quality of life, pain perception, postoperative markers of inflammatory response, surgical site infections, infectious complications other than surgical site infections, health economy and relationship between symptom anamnesis and bile contamination.

Detailed Summary:

Background

Inflammation in the gallbladder due to obstruction of gallstones (acute cholecystitis) is a common condition and one of the most common indications for laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In most cases, the procedure may be performed without great risk of severe complications. In some cases, however, the congested bile in the gallbladder may become infected.

In clinical routine, acute cholecystitis is often managed as an infectious condition, despite the fact that previous studies have shown that the bile in most cases of acute cholecystitis is sterile. On the other hand, antibiotic prophylaxis may reduce the risk of surgical site infections in those cases when there is a manifest bacterial contamination and, perhaps, also reduce the risk of contamination. There is firm evidence supporting acute surgery, prefereably laparoscopic cholecystectomy, but the benefit from antibiotic treatment has not been full evaluated.

Previous studies have shown that the benefit from antibiotic prophylaxis is very limited in case of laparoscopic cholecystectomy for uncomplicated gallstone disease. There are, however, very few studies that have assessed antibiotic prophylaxis in surgery for acute cholecystitis.

The aim of the present study is to assess the benefit of antibiotic prophylaxis in patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis.

Methods The study is based on patients admitted for acute cholecystitis at the department of acute surgery, Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge. In case the patients fulfill the inclusion critera and are suitable for laparoscopic surgery, written and oral information about the study is given.

Proportion of patients with bacterial growth in the bile, assessed by culture from the bile assembled perioperatively.