The mortality of patients being treated for gallstones is low. However, mortality can occur if certain conditions are present.
Patient selection: cholelithiasis, managed by cholecystectomy, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), cholecystostomy
Key risk factors for mortality:
(1) age >= 80 years of age
(2) emergency admission
(3) postoperative medical complications
Common causes of adverse events associated with management:
(1) delay in intervention
(2) delay in diagnosis or recognition of a complication
(3) procedural complication
(4) patient not admitted to ICU
(5) surgeon or anesthesiologist inexperienced or made an error
(6) lack of venous thromboembolism prophylaxis
