title: Gallstone pancreatitis.
abstract: The charts of 55 patients with clinical and surgical evidence of pancreatitis, secondary to gallstones, were reviewed. Patients with a history of high alcoholic intake were excluded. Gallstones were retrieved from all patients, 18 (33%) of whom had choledocholithiasis. Severe pancreatitis with extensive fat necrosis was documented during surgery in 27 patients (49%). We found an inverse relationship between the preoperative serum amylase levels and the severity of pancreatitis. Cholecystectomy was performed in 53 patients (96%). The operative mortality rate was 5.5%, and severe postoperative complications developed in five patients (9%). The follow-up period ranged from two to 24 years, and 39 of the patients in the follow-up evaluation remained completely asymptomatic postoperatively.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000681:Amylases / Q000097:blood; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D042882:Gallstones / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010195:Pancreatitis / Q000097:blood / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D000681:Amylases