Acute Cholecystitis in Children: A Report of 58 Cases

Acute Cholecystitis is uncommon in children. This study reports our experience of acute cholecystitis in children. It is a retrospective study of all the children managed in the National Hospital of Donka (Conakry), within a 6-year period (January 1998 to December 2003). The data analyzed included age, clinical features, laboratory features and outcome ofmanagement. There were 58 patients with acute cholecystitis, (M:F=2:1). The most common causes of acute cholecystitis were Salmonella typhi organisms in 36 patients followed by stones in 8. Thirty four patientswere treated non-operatively but cholecystectomy was carried out in 24 patients. The mortality ratewas 10.34%. Salmonella and stones are the most common causes of childhood acute cholecystitis in Guinea Conakry. Acute cholecystitis is associated with significant mortality in children. Keywords : Acalculus cholecystitis, Salmonella typhi, calculus cholecystitis. African Journal of Paediatric Surgery Vol. 4 (2) 2007: pp. 79-81