Percutaneous cholecystostomy and lithotripsy of gallstones.
Extracorporeal lithotripsy has a high incidence of postprocedure biliary colic and slow disappearance of gallstones. This situation has led to the development of a new technique which has been successful in four patients and consists of percutaneous cholecystostomy, direct stone visualization, and fragmentation of gallstones with a percutaneous lithotripter. All patients had a functioning gallbladder, stone diameter less than 30 mm, and abdominal pain secondary to cholelithiasis. The procedure was performed in a two day hospitalization. Initially, under general anesthesia, the gallbladder was intubated with a 21 gauge needle and guidewire and the tract dilated to #30 French. A nephroscope was advanced into the gallbladder through a rigid sheath. All gallstones were visualized, fragmented with a percutaneous lithotripter, and extracted. After a postoperative cholecystocholangiogram, an self-retaining catheter was placed in the gallbladder for an average of 2.5 days. Three of the four patients were discharged from the hospital in two days without any complications. A fourth patient had a small bile leak treated with antibiotics. After an average of 13 months follow-up, all patients had a normal ultrasound or oral cholecystogram and no biliary tract symptoms. This technique is safe and efficient in removing gallstones and has no recurrence of gallstones in the 13 month follow-up period.
MacFadyen
B V
BV
Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical School, TX 77030.
Sandler
C M
CM
D000328:Adult; D002767:Cholecystostomy / Q000379:methods*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000628:therapy*; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013997:Time Factors