Difficult Gall Bladder in Adolescents with Cystic Fibrosis and Symptomatic Cholelithiasis: What is the Best Treatment Choice?

Gallbladder disease (GBD) has become increasingly common in children. Established risk factors for GBD in childhood include hemolytic disease; ileal resections; obesity; cystic fibrosis; and the use of parenteral nutrition, ceftriaxone, and oral contraceptives. Notably, patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) face an increased risk of developing a wide range of CF-related conditions, including a significantly greater odds ratio for conditions such as cholelithiasis [1,2]. Furthermore, surgeons should be aware of the high possibility of encountering a difficult gallbladder operation in these patients.