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Copyright: ©Author(s) 2026. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license. No commercial re-use. See permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
World J Gastrointest Surg. Oct 27, 2026; 18(10): 118978
Published online Oct 27, 2026. doi: 10.4240/wjgs.118978
Standardising minimally invasive management in surgically unfit patients requiring cholecystectomy: Overview of current recommendations and future directions
Supraja Laguduva Mohan, Venkatesh Vaithiyam
Supraja Laguduva Mohan, Department of Radiodiagnosis and Interventional Radiology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi 110029, India
Venkatesh Vaithiyam, Department of Gastroenterology, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, New Delhi 110002, India
Author contributions: Mohan SL performed the literature review and wrote the original draft; Vaithiyam V contributed to the conceptualisation, writing, reviewing, and editing; both authors have read and approved the final version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Venkatesh Vaithiyam, DM, MD, Assistant Professor, Department of Gastroenterology, Govind Ballabh Pant Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education and Research, Second Floor, Academic Block, New Delhi 110002, India. venkateshvaithiyam172@gmail.com
Received: January 16, 2026
Revised: February 3, 2026
Accepted: March 10, 2026
Published online: October 27, 2026
Processing time: 261 Days and 18.8 Hours
Core Tip

Core Tip: Percutaneous cholecystostomy (PC) has traditionally been the primary treatment for surgically unfit patients with acute cholecystitis; however, endoscopic gallbladder drainage techniques, such as endoscopic transpapillary drainage and endoscopic ultrasound-guided drainage, are emerging as effective alternatives with fewer reinterventions and enhanced patient comfort. While endoscopic procedures are preferred over PC whenever possible, PC with standardized protocols is still beneficial, especially due to wider availability, bedside feasibility and as it can be performed under local anaesthesia without the requirement of sedation or general anaesthesia. A multidisciplinary and standardized approach is crucial for optimizing the outcomes.

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