Acute Cholecystitis in the Postoperative Period

Abstract

TRANSIENT fever, pain, ileus and general discomfort are so common after any surgical procedure that development of a new surgical emergency is often masked by these almost routine sequelae. The natural reluctance of the medical mind to seek a second diagnosis when one is obvious may lead the physician into dangerous complacency in the presence of a new disease occurring in the immediate postoperative period. Fortunately, increasing awareness of this problem has led to prompt diagnosis and treatment of such emergencies. Acute cholecystitis after unrelated surgical procedures constitutes such an emergency. A desire to elucidate the features of this problem . . .