Gallbladder Polyps: Sixty Patients and Literature Review

OZET Results: The average age of patients was 45.7. In 26 patients, the diagnosis was made incidentally during ultrasound imag- ing performed for some other reason. The mean diameter of polyps was 7.3 mm as measured by ultrasonography. In 24 patients only one polyp existed while the remainders had two or more polyps determined by ultrasonography. In the order of frequency, the majority of polyps were located in the gall- bladder corpus, fundus and the neck. Relevant studies have identified some risk factors for polyps. These may be listed as follows: Polyps 10 mm or greater in size, those single or sessile, those accompanied by irregularity or the thickening of adjacent gallbladder wall, rapid growth during follow-up and patient age over 50. Cholecystectomy is recommended in symptomatic patients as well as in those patients with one or more risk factors. For asymptomatic patients with no risk fac- tors, surveillance by ultrasonographic follow-up is adequate. Conclusion: Before making a decision for surgery, all patients should be sought for risk factors to reduce unnecessary chole- cystectomies and surgery related complications.