Cholelithiasis and cholecystitis in childhood.
In this review of 50 children with gallbladder disease in Houston, Texas, there were an equal number of patients with and without hemolytic disease and a slight predominance of males in both groups. Nearly all had been symptomatic for a prolonged period before diagnosis and cholecystectomy. Common early diagnoses were hemolytic crisis and appendicitis. Ultrasonography has become a very accurate tool for the preoperative evaluation of these children. Once the diagnosis of cholelithiasis is established, elective cholecystectomy is the treatment of choice.
D000293:Adolescent; D000755:Anemia, Sickle Cell / Q000150:complications; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002763:Cholecystectomy; D002764:Cholecystitis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013781:Texas; D014463:Ultrasonography