Sonographic evaluation of gallbladder contractility in patients with spinal cord injury

✍ Scribed by Mauro Nakayama; Daniel G.F. Távora; Rŏmulo L. Gama; Cruiff E.P. Silva

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2008
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 132 KB
• Volume: 36
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0091-2751
• DOI: 10.1002/jcu.20514

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Purpose.

To determine gallbladder volume with sonography during fasting and in response to a fatty meal in patients with spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and compare the results with those obtained in healthy controls.

Method.

Forty‐three patients with SCI and 40 healthy volunteers without clinical evidence of gallbladder disease underwent sonography before and 30 and 60 minutes after the ingestion of a standard fatty meal. The gallbladder fasting volume, resting volume, and gallbladder contractility were calculated, and the results were compared. Correlation between gallbladder contractility and level of lesion, time since injury, use of oxybutynin, and body mass index (BMI) was also assessed.

Results.

The mean ejection fraction was significantly lower in the patients with SCIs (40%) compared with healthy controls (63%) (p < 0.001). Gallbladder mean residual volume 60 minutes after ingestion of the fatty meal was lower in the control group (p < 0.001).

Conclusion.

Gallbladder contractility is impaired in patients with SCI, which may predispose these patients to gallstone formation. There was no correlation between gallbladder contractility and level of the lesion, time since injury, use of oxybutynin, or BMI. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008