Cholecystectomy and Liver Disease in Short Bowel Syndrome

Background: Recently, an association has been proposed between cholecystectomy and various liver diseases. Our aim was to determine whether cholecystectomy in short bowel patients influences the risk of liver disease. Methods: We reviewed 422 adults: 182 underwent cholecystectomy prior to short bowel, 102 after developing short bowel, and 138 patients still had the gallbladder in place. Results: Compared to pre and post short bowel, gallbladder patients were significantly less likely to have obesity (18 % and 21 % vs 9 %), central line infections (59 % and 69 % vs 46 %), intestine <60 cm (30 % and 39 % vs 26 %), and require parenteral nutrition >1 year (72 % and 77 % vs 64 %). The incidence of fatty liver was similar (31, 26, and 25 %). Fibrosis/cirrhosis was less common in the gallbladder group (26 % and 36 % vs 16 %). Frequency of end-stage liver disease was similar (15, 22, and 11 %). On multivariate analysis, cholecystectomy, parenteral nutrition >1 year, line infection, and intestine <60 cm were predictors of fibrosis/cirrhosis. Parenteral nutrition >1 year, line infection, and intestine <60 cm were predictors of end-stage liver disease. Conclusions: Cholecystectomy does not appear to increase the incidence of liver disease in short bowel patients overall. Fibrosis/cirrhosis occurs significantly less frequently in patients with an intact gallbladder.