Retrospective analysis of patients diagnosed with biliary system diseases in the emergency department

ABSTRACT Purpose: The objective of this study was to contribute to the literature by providing information about the demographic characteristics, incidence, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of biliary system diseases in patients presenting to the emergency department.. Materials and Methods: Our study was carried out by retrospectively screening patients admitted to the Emergency Department of Istanbul University-Cerrahpaşa Cerrahpaşa Medical Faculty between 1 January 2021 and 31 December 2022 and diagnosed with biliary system diseases. Data were obtained by scanning the files of patients diagnosed/pre-diagnosed with biliary system diseases. Results: The study included 491 patients who were diagnosed with biliary system diseases between the specified dates. Of these patients, 84 patients could not be included in the study because their data could not be accessed, they refused examination-treatment or left the emergency department without permission. Of the 407 patients included in the study, 54.3% were female, 45.7% were male, and the mean age was 56.85 years. The most common comorbidity was hypertension and the second most common comorbidity was malignancy. The most common biliary system disease seen in the emergency department was acute cholecystitis (n=169), followed by obstructive biliary system diseases (n=106). Gallstones were responsible for 78.3% of biliary system diseases. In-hospital mortality rate was 7% in all biliary system diseases. Conclusion: Although acute cholecystitis was the most common biliary system disease seen in the emergency department, 37 patients had more than one diagnosis. Biliary system diseases can be found not only alone but also together, and although there are differences in diagnosis, aetiology and treatment, common methods are the majority. Biliary system diseases are more common in women than in men, and the frequency of biliary system diseases and the risk of complications increase with age. Almost 90% of the patients diagnosed with biliary system disease were hospitalised and the mean length of hospital stay was 10.21±10.22 days. Key Words: biliary tract, cholangitis, cholecystitis, gallbladder, jaundice