title: Medical treatment of gallstones.
abstract: The last 10 years have witnessed an enormous amount of work on the medical dissolution of gallstones. Many compounds have been tested and one, chenodeoxycholic acid, is already available for clinical use in the UK. Others will certainly follow. Much remains to be learned of the mechanisms of action of these drugs and the safety of prolonged administration. Effective methods of preventing gallstone recurrence need to be devised. The practice of cholecystectomy is not yet threatened by medical dissolution of gallstones, but in selected patients medical treatment is now a viable alternative. A start has been made.
mesh_terms: D001646:Bile / Q000032:analysis; D002087:Butyrates / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005449:Fluorenes / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012008:Recurrence; D013729:Terpenes / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002087:Butyrates; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005449:Fluorenes; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D013729:Terpenes; D003840:Deoxycholic Acid; D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid