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Incidence, Risk Factors, and Time Trends for Bile Leakage After Cholecystectomy for Gallstone Disease—Results From a Population-Based Cohort Study

Mirzaei, Layla LU orcid ; Bergenfeldt, Henrik LU ; Öberg, Stefan LU and Andersson, Bodil LU orcid (2026) In World Journal of Surgery 50(4). p.839-847
Abstract

Background: Bile leakage is a severe complication after cholecystectomy and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bile leakage post-cholecystectomy and to identify potential risk factors and their association with changes in the incidence of bile leakage over time. Methods: Demographic and perioperative data of all patients who underwent cholecystectomy in Sweden between 2006 and 2019 were retrieved from the Swedish Registry for Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks). Data on the occurrence of bile leakage within 30 days were recorded and risk factors were identified using uni- and multivariable logistic regression... (More)

Background: Bile leakage is a severe complication after cholecystectomy and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bile leakage post-cholecystectomy and to identify potential risk factors and their association with changes in the incidence of bile leakage over time. Methods: Demographic and perioperative data of all patients who underwent cholecystectomy in Sweden between 2006 and 2019 were retrieved from the Swedish Registry for Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks). Data on the occurrence of bile leakage within 30 days were recorded and risk factors were identified using uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Bile leakage occurred in 1738 of the 152,413 patients who underwent cholecystectomy, resulting in an overall incidence of 1.14%. The incidence was relatively consistent over the study period. ASA-score II and III, emergent surgery, open cholecystectomy, conversion from laparoscopic to open technique, bleeding requiring intervention, not performing, or incomplete intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) were identified as risk factors for bile leakage. The proportion of ASA II and ASA III patients undergoing cholecystectomy increased over time (p < 0.001). There was also a significant increase in the proportions of emergent cholecystectomies from 27.9% to 43.6% (p < 0.001) and surgery for complicated gallstone disease from 35.4% to 52.5% (p < 0.001) during the study period. Conclusion: The incidence of bile leakage was relatively consistent over the study period despite an observed increase in the prevalence of identified risk factors of bile leakage.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
bile leakage, cholecystectomy, risk factors, time-trends
in
World Journal of Surgery
volume
50
issue
4
pages
839 - 847
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:105030720303
  • pmid:41711670
ISSN
0364-2313
DOI
10.1002/wjs.70251
language
English
LU publication?
yes
additional info
Publisher Copyright: © 2026 The Author(s). World Journal of Surgery published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Surgery/Société Internationale de Chirurgie (ISS/SIC).
id
5f36cb36-81f5-4366-a867-2045d9af302a
date added to LUP
2026-04-13 15:53:05
date last changed
2026-06-11 03:21:22
@article{5f36cb36-81f5-4366-a867-2045d9af302a,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Bile leakage is a severe complication after cholecystectomy and is associated with an increased risk of morbidity and mortality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of bile leakage post-cholecystectomy and to identify potential risk factors and their association with changes in the incidence of bile leakage over time. Methods: Demographic and perioperative data of all patients who underwent cholecystectomy in Sweden between 2006 and 2019 were retrieved from the Swedish Registry for Gallstone Surgery and Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (GallRiks). Data on the occurrence of bile leakage within 30 days were recorded and risk factors were identified using uni- and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Bile leakage occurred in 1738 of the 152,413 patients who underwent cholecystectomy, resulting in an overall incidence of 1.14%. The incidence was relatively consistent over the study period. ASA-score II and III, emergent surgery, open cholecystectomy, conversion from laparoscopic to open technique, bleeding requiring intervention, not performing, or incomplete intraoperative cholangiography (IOC) were identified as risk factors for bile leakage. The proportion of ASA II and ASA III patients undergoing cholecystectomy increased over time (p &lt; 0.001). There was also a significant increase in the proportions of emergent cholecystectomies from 27.9% to 43.6% (p &lt; 0.001) and surgery for complicated gallstone disease from 35.4% to 52.5% (p &lt; 0.001) during the study period. Conclusion: The incidence of bile leakage was relatively consistent over the study period despite an observed increase in the prevalence of identified risk factors of bile leakage.</p>}},
  author       = {{Mirzaei, Layla and Bergenfeldt, Henrik and Öberg, Stefan and Andersson, Bodil}},
  issn         = {{0364-2313}},
  keywords     = {{bile leakage; cholecystectomy; risk factors; time-trends}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{4}},
  pages        = {{839--847}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{World Journal of Surgery}},
  title        = {{Incidence, Risk Factors, and Time Trends for Bile Leakage After Cholecystectomy for Gallstone Disease—Results From a Population-Based Cohort Study}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/wjs.70251}},
  doi          = {{10.1002/wjs.70251}},
  volume       = {{50}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}