STUDY ON THE URSODEOXYCHOLATE TREATMENT OF GALLSTONES WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO COURSE OF DISAPPEARANCE AND RECURRENCE

Abstract

The efficacy of UDCA to cholesterol gallstone has been established. However only a few studies were preformed with regard to the course of dissolution and recurrence. In this study, to analyze the course of dissolution, the size of gallstones expressed as volume index, calculated in the following manner, diameter a×diameter b×a+b/2, was plotted on the semilogarithmic graphpaper and the half life period was determind. It was found that small stones disappeared rapidly and exponentially, but large one having over 1cm of diameter decreased in volume index in two exponential curves. After disappearance of gallstones, recurrence was surveyed. Of 21 patients one pregnant patient had recurrence after delivery.
From these results it is concluded that 1) in the treatment of cholesterol gallstone with UDCA, even though the effect is not noticeable during the first six months it should be continued. 2) after disapperance of gallstones, preventive administration is not required.