A new catheter design for percutaneous cholecystostomy.

A catheter specifically designed for percutaneous cholecystostomy was inserted into the gallbladders of 17 hospitalized patients who were thought to have acute cholecystitis. Cholecystostomies were performed in all patients without complications, and catheters were inserted in the intensive care unit with use of portable sonographic guidance in all but two patients. The catheter was inadvertently dislodged in one patient but there were no sequelae. Therefore, for all subsequent patients the catheter was modified to include a Cope loop to prevent migration of the catheter out of the gallbladder. The sonographically detectable catheter may be placed via a Seldinger technique or trocar method. Because it is short, the catheter is easily maneuverable.