Factors affecting gallstone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for cholelithiasis 2016

Cholelithiasis is one of the commonest diseases in gastroenterology. Remarkable improvements in therapeutic modalities for cholelithiasis and its complications are evident. The Japanese Society of Gastroenterology has revised the evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for cholelithiasis. Forty-three clinical questions, for four categories-epidemiology and pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatments, and prognosis and complications-were selected, and a literature search was performed for the clinical questions with use of the MEDLINE, Cochrane, and Igaku Chuo Zasshi databases for the period between 1983 and June 2012. The guidelines were developed with use of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE) system. This article preferentially describes the clinical management of cholelithiasis and its complications. Following description of the diagnosis performed stepwise through imaging modalities, treatments of cholecystolithiasis, choledocholithiasis, and hepatolithiasis are introduced along with a flowchart. Since there have been remarkable improvements in endoscopic treatments and surgical techniques, the guidelines ensure flexibility in choices according to the actual clinical environment. The revised clinical practice guidelines are appropriate for use by clinicians in their daily practice.

Lessons learnt from a case of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy for a residual gallbladder stone

•

ECSWL failed to treat a residual gallbladder stone after failed cholecystectomy.

•

Even if a stone is fractured, it may not be expelled by a diseased gallbladder.

•

ECSWL should be followed by endoscopic retrieval to complete treatment.

Introduction

Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ECSWL) for gallstones is rarely used due to high recurrence rates, but has been reported to be effective in some circumstances.

Presentation of case

We describe a case of a failed attempt at laparoscopic cholecystectomy due to gallbladder contraction and complete obliteration of Calot’s triangle. Cholecystotomy was performed to remove all visible stones, and completed by a subtotal cholecystectomy and closure of the gallbladder remnant. The patient remained symptomatic due to a residual stone in the Hartmann’s pouch. ECSWL was attempted to fragment the stone; however, follow-up imaging showed persistence of the calculus.

Discussion

Literature review shows that ECSWL for multiple gallbladder stones has a low success rate. Even if a stone is successfully fragmented, a diseased gallbladder remnant seems incapable of expelling the fragments. Without completion endoscopic clearance, therefore, the treatment is considered incomplete.

Conclusion

Our case suggests that ECSWL is ineffective in management of residual gallbladder stones after failed cholecystectomy.

Risk factors for gallbladder contractility after cholecystolithotomy in elderly high-risk surgical patients

Objective

Cholecystolithiasis is a common disease in the elderly patient. The routine therapy is open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy. In the previous study, we designed a minimally invasive cholecystolithotomy based on percutaneous cholecystostomy combined with a choledochoscope (PCCLC) under local anesthesia.

Methods

To investigate the effect of PCCLC on the gallbladder contractility function, PCCLC and laparoscope combined with a choledochoscope were compared in this study.

Results

The preoperational age and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) scores, as well as postoperational lithotrity rate and common biliary duct stone rate in the PCCLC group, were significantly higher than the choledochoscope group. However, the pre- and postoperational gallbladder ejection fraction was not significantly different. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression analyses indicated that the preoperational thickness of gallbladder wall (odds ratio [OR]: 0.540; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.317–0.920; P=0.023) and lithotrity (OR: 0.150; 95% CI: 0.023–0.965; P=0.046) were risk factors for postoperational gallbladder ejection fraction. The area under receiver operating characteristics curve was 0.714 (P=0.016; 95% CI: 0.553–0.854).

Conclusion

PCCLC strategy should be carried out cautiously. First, restricted by the diameter of the drainage tube, the PCCLC should be used only for small gallstones in high-risk surgical patients. Second, the usage of lithotrity should be strictly limited to avoid undermining the gallbladder contractility and increasing the risk of secondary common bile duct stones.

A ten-year prospective study on gallbladder stone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

OBJECTIVE

The risk of recurrence has limited the acceptability of conservative therapies of gallbladder stones. The aim of the present study was to determine the long-term rate of stone recurrence and its risk factors after successful extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL).

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The study comprised a prospective ultrasound follow-up at yearly intervals or whenever biliary pain was reported. A total of 192 consecutive patients (primary single stones, n=159; primary 2 or 3 stones, n=33) were followed for up to 11.2 years after becoming stone-free and after termination of adjuvant treatment with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA).

RESULTS

Eighty-four patients developed recurrent stones after a median of 2.6 years (maximum?=?8.8 years). The 108 patients without recurrence were followed for a median of 6.7 years (maximum=11.2 years). By actuarial analysis, the cumulative recurrence rates for these 192 stone-free patients were 27%+/-3%, 41%+/-4% and 54%+/-4% (observed +/-SE) at 3, 5 and 10 years, respectively. Cox's regression analysis was used to identify the presence of slight calcification in the primary stone(s) as a protective feature against recurrence (p=0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

1) The risk of recurrence continues to increase over time, and although it rises less steeply after 5 years, it does not reach a plateau until at least 10 years. 2) Having had slightly calcified stone(s) seems to be associated with a reduced risk of recurrence and might signal a "burnt out" lithogenic process. 3) The long-term results are unsatisfactory and ESWL of gallbladder stones should be offered only in special cases.

Predictions and associations of cholecystectomy in patients with cholecystolithiasis treated with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy

Extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is effective in the treatment of symptomatic cholecystolithiasis in well-selected patients. We analyzed the predictors of cholecystectomy in a large series of gallstone patients after ESWL. This was a retrospective follow-up cohort-study of consecutive patients undergoing ESWL for symptomatic cholecystolithiasis over a 9-year period. It was possible to analyze a total of 297 patients; there were 211 women and 86 men, with a mean age of 52 years (range, 8-81 years). Patients that had been cholecystectomized after ESWL were compared to patients with their gallbladder still in situ and determinants of cholecystemctomy in terms of clinical, stone, and gallbladder parameters and symptoms analyzed. The mean duration of follow-up was 99 months (range, 27-134 months). During follow-up, 106 (36%) patients underwent a cholecystectomy at a mean of 34 months (range, 0-127 months) after ESWL. Histological data showed a normal gallbladder wall in only 4 cases; 101 examinations revealed some kind of (chronic) inflammation, which was not different from histological gallbladder results in patients without prior lithotripsy. Three gallbladder polyps were found, but no carcinoma. Cholecystectomy after ESWL of gallbladder stones was strongly associated with persitent and/or renewed biliary symtoms. Nevertheless, only three of four patients became asymptomatic after CE. Thus, ESWL proved to be a valuable organ-preserving alternative to cholecystectomy in selected patients.

[Acute biliary colic. Etiology, diagnosis and therapy]

Acute biliary pain represents the main symptom of gallbladder stones, less frequently of common bile duct stones or functional disorders of the biliary tract. The pain lasts at least 15 minutes, is typically localized to the epigastrium or the right upper quadrant of the abdomen and my radiate to the right shoulder. Diagnosis of biliary pain is primarily based on clinical criteria, ultrasound allows detection of causative gallstones with high sensitivity and specificity. Analgesics and laparoscopic cholecystectomy are widely accepted as standard therapy for the majority of patients.

Impaired gallbladder mucosal function in aged gallstone patients suppresses gallstone recurrence after successful extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy

BACKGROUND

Absorption of water, as well as emptying of bile, are important functions of the gallbladder. We studied the changes of gallbladder function with age in gallstone patients and their influence on the outcome of extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL).

METHODS

(i) A total of 123 consecutive patients with complete stone clearance by ESWL were examined. Gallbladder emptying was assessed before treatment using intravenous cholecystography. After stone clearance, the recurrence of gallstones was monitored by using ultrasonography. Cox regression analysis was used to determine the risk factors associated with stone recurrence. (ii) Gallbladder bile was sampled from 59 gallstone patients during surgery. Biliary cholesterol, phospholipids, and total bile acids were simultaneously quantified by using gas-liquid chromatography.

RESULTS

Impaired gallbladder function, but not gallstone recurrence, was more frequently observed in older patients (>/=65 years old) than in younger patients (<65 years old). Cox regression analysis revealed that poor gallbladder emptying was an independent predictor of stone recurrence after ESWL in the total study population, but not in the older patients (>/=65 years old). Analysis of bile from surgically treated patients with cholesterol stones showed a significantly higher total lipid concentration and a shorter nucleation time in the younger group (<65 years old), but the cholesterol saturation index did not differ between the younger and older groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that the reduced concentrating function of the gallbladder in elderly gallstone patients helps to counteract stone recurrence despite their abnormal gallbladder motility. Therefore, aged gallstone patients may be preferentially treated by a non-surgical strategy.