title: Percutaneous gallstone removal: long-term follow-up.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate gallstone and symptom recurrence rates, long-term complications, and life expectancy after percutaneous gallstone removal.
  
  
  METHODS
  Medical records of 87 patients (mean age, 69 years +/- 14 [standard deviation]) undergoing percutaneous gallstone removal between 1987 and 1992 were reviewed. Physicians and patients (or their families) were contacted for clinical follow-up. Thirty-one patients returned for follow-up ultrasound (US).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The final study group consisted of 65 patients. Mean survival from the time of initial gallbladder drainage was 33 months +/- 19. Over a mean clinical follow-up period of 33 months, eight of 65 patients (12%) developed recurrent symptoms; six of these eight had recurrent gallstones shown at US. Of 30 patients with technically adequate US images (mean follow-up, 14 months +/- 12), 12 (40%) had recurrent gallstones. Six of these 12 patients had recurrent symptoms. No long-term complications were identified.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The risk of gallstone recurrence after percutaneous removal is notable, but the symptom recurrence rate is much lower. Percutaneous gallstone removal is beneficial for patients at prohibitive surgical or general anesthetic risk.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, MO 63110, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Courtois
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Picus
authors.forename: M E
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Darcy
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Aliperti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edmundowicz
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Hovsepian
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002769:Cholelithiasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D003549:Cystic Duct; D004322:Drainage / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D042882:Gallstones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015642:Radiology, Interventional / Q000379:methods; D012008:Recurrence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography