title: Gallstone recurrence after shock-wave therapy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The long-term outcome of nonoperative gallstone therapy depends on both absence of stones and absence of biliary pain. The aim of the present study was to determine the rate of stone recurrence and the rate of symptoms within 5 years after successful shock wave lithotripsy combined with bile acid therapy.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred consecutive patients (single stones, n = 89; 2 or 3 stones, n = 11) were followed up for a median of 4.3 years after stone disappearance and discontinuation of bile acids.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three of the 100 patients developed recurrent stones. Calculated by actuarial analysis, the recurrence rate was 7% +/- 3%, 11% +/- 3%, 13% +/- 4%, 20% +/- 5%, and 31% +/- 7% (mean +/- SD) at 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 years, respectively. The recurrent stones were small (6 +/- 5 mm) and were associated with recurrent biliary pain in 14 (61%) of the 23 patients. Repeated shock wave lithotripsy and/or bile acid medication resulted in stone disappearance in only 10 of 20 patients with recurrence.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The long-term rate of stone recurrence after lithotripsy of primarily solitary gallbladder calculi is lower than expected from post-bile acid dissolution trials. Recurrence of stones frequently is associated with recurrence of biliary pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine II, Klinikum Grosshadern, University of Munich, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sackmann
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Niller
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Klueppelberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: von Ritter
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pauletzki
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Holl
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Berr
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neubrand
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sauerbruch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paumgartner
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008096:Lithotripsy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000209:etiology; D011336:Probability; D012008:Recurrence; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D002635:Chenodeoxycholic Acid; D014580:Ursodeoxycholic Acid