Cholecystostomy

Cholecystostomy is a medical procedure that drains the gallbladder through either a percutaneous or endoscopic approach, creating an opening for tube or stent placement. It is used to treat cholecystitis in patients who cannot safely undergo surgical removal of the gallbladder, including critically ill or clinically unstable patients, those unable to tolerate anesthesia, high-risk surgical candidates with severe systemic disease, and patients who show no improvement after a period of medical management. The percutaneous approach is performed under sedation with ultrasound or CT guidance, using either the Seldinger technique with progressively larger dilators or the trocar technique, while the endoscopic approach places a plastic stent via ERCP or a metal stent guided by endoscopic ultrasound from the stomach or duodenum into the gallbladder.