Abstract
For an aid in selecting the most appropriate therapy for silent gallstones, a total of 220 cases operated on for gallstones were analytically studied. The 220 cases were divided into two groups: 32 asymptomatic (14.5%) and 188 symptomatic cases (85.5%), and the two groups were statistically compared for several clinical items. Moreover, in the asymptomatic group ultrasonographic and cholangiographic findings were discussed.
There was a significant difference between the two groups in that the asymptomatic group had a larger number of cases having gallstones only in the gallbladder lumen and in that asymptomatic gallstones were commonly found in patients of advanced age. No significant difference was found in the sex; type, size and number of gallstones; positive ratio of bacteriological examination of the bile; malformation ratio of the billiary tract; appearance ratio of other lesions of the gallbladder such as carcinoma, adenomyomatosis, intramural gallstones, cholesterosis, cholesterol polyp, and white bile.
In 30 of the 32 asymptomatic cases (93.8%), morphological or functional abnormalities were identified in ultrasonographic or cholangiographic findings. Since no essential clinical differences are found between asymptomatic and symptomatic gallstones, we consider appropriate at present to operate on for silent gallstones as for the ordinary type.
