Postcholecystectomy Syndrome: From Pathophysiology to Differential Diagnosis - A Critical Review

Cholecystectomy has an excellent therapeutic outcome. Up to 15-20 % of cholecystectomized patients however, continue to have a variety of gastrointestinal symptoms. Post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS) can be defined as symptoms of biliary colic or persistent right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain with or without dyspepsia, which are similar to that experienced by the patient before cholecystectomy. PCS continue to be present as a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The aim of this paper was to critically review the literature about the magnitude of the problem and the possible pathophysiological explanations of PCS.