Gallbladder Cryoablation: A Novel Option for High-Risk Patients with Gallbladder Disease

Twenty million patients in the United States suffer from gallbladder disease, with over 200,000 cholecystectomies performed annually.1 The gold-standard treatment for cholecystitis is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A subset of high-risk patients who are not surgical candidates may require gallbladder drainage.2 Percutaneous cholecystostomy is the most common method of gallbladder drainage, with over 7000 performed in the US annually.3 While effective in treating acute cholecystitis, cholecystostomy tube placement does not provide definitive management.