A significant proportion of individuals undergoing cholecystectomy for symptomatic cholelithiasis persist with symptoms even after surgery.

This study was aimed to test our hypothesis that age of presentation and duration of symptoms are the risk factors that predispose to negative symptomatic outcome after cholecystectomy.

351 patients with diagnosis of symptomatic gallstones admitted to a tertiary care hospital for elective laproscopic cholecystectomy over a period of three years from 2009. They were provided a standard symptom questionnaire to evaluate the symptomatic outcome and to compare the quality of life at interval of one, three and six months after the procedure regarding the presenting symptoms at the time of admission. Out of 351 patients, 51 patients refused to continue participation in the study and were excluded from the study group. The remaining 300 patients were followed till six months after procedure.

55.66% of patients were highly satisfied after cholecystectomy with regard to alleviation of preoperative symptoms, while 34.33% of patients were satisfied with the treatment. A minority of 8.6% of patients perceived no change with regard to preoperative symptoms, while 1.3% of them had worsening of symptoms.

We conclude that management of gall bladder stone disease should be tailored precisely with respect to the quality of life index, with increased emphasis on early detection and treatment as well as increased emphasis on counseling in an elderly cohort after considering the prognosis after cholecystectomy differentially.