Abstract
We conducted a study of cholecystolithiasis in 776 dialysis patients who underwent ultrasonographic examination at Kojin-kai Hospital from March 1983 to December 1990. Cholecystolithiasis was found in 160 out of 776 patients (20.6%), and the incidence tended to increase with increasing age. However, there was no statistical difference between men and women. Among underlying diseases, diabetic nephropathy accounted for as much as 31.3% of all patients with cholecystolithiasis. It was also detected in 9 out of 16 dialysis patients with liver cirrhosis (56.3%). Cholecystectomy was performed in 5 men and 10 women. Gallstones were found in 12 and bilirubin gallstones in 3. Ultrasonography was useful for clinical observations, because cholecystitis recurred very frequently in 11 of 15 patients preoperatively. The rate of association of carcinoma of the gallbladder in all hemodialysis patients at our hospital was about 10 times higher than in non-hemodialysis patients (0.26%, 2 out of 776 patients). The rate of association of carcinoma of the gallbladder with cholecystolithiasis was also 1.3% (2 out of 160 patients). As both of the patients were female and in their 70's, care should be taken with regard to follow-up periods in aged patients with cholecystolithiasis.
