Bacterial Profile of Bile Culture from Patients Undergoing Cholecystectomy

Abstract

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the most commonly performed routine surgical operation in general surgery. There is a debate about utility of prophylactic antibiotic therapy following cholecystectomy. The aim of the study was to investigate bacterial growth in bile culture from patients after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods. This study included 80 patients who undergone laparoscopic cholecystectomy. All gallbladder specimens were sent for histopathology. A bile sample from each case was cultured on Brain heart infusion broth, MacConkey agar, and chocolate agar. Analytical profile indices were used for identification of isolated bacteria. Results. Six histopathological abnormalities were detected, of which chronic cholecystitis was the most common abnormality (58.75%) followed by acute cholecystitis with mucocele (11.25%). Thirty one bile samples (38.75%) were positive for bacterial growth. The overall bacterial isolates from bile samples showed Escherichia coli, 13.75%, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, 8.75%, Enterococcus faecium, 5%, Citrobacter freundii, 3.7%, Staphylococcus epidermidis, 3.75%, Lactobacillus gasseri, 2.5% and Bifiidobacterium, 1.25%. Bacterial colonization of gallbladder was significantly associated with acute cholecystitis with mucocele and empyema. Conclusions. More than one third of patients with cholelithiasis are positive for bacterial culture. Bacterial infection of stoned gallbladder associated with the development of empyema. Thus, prophylactic antibiotic therapy is recommended for patients undergoing cholecystectomy due to gallbladder stone.