[The use of decompressive endoscopic operations in the complicated course of cholelithiasis]

The article is based on an analysis of observation of 853 patients with complicated forms of cholelithiasis. The average age of patients was 73.5 years, two thirds of them had critical coexistent diseases. The system of treatment proposed by the authors allowed achievement of good results (lethality is less than 5%) while the methods of treatment generally accepted in surgical practice is followed by higher lethality achieving 40%. The work analyzes errors and complications of endoscopic decompressing operations and gives recommendations for their prevention.