[Routine gastroscopy before laparoscopic cholecystectomy: evaluation of the technology in 376 patients]

We performed endoscopy of the upper digestive tract in 376 patients before elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Abnormalities were found in 60 (15.9%); 14 patients had peptic ulcers, 15 gastric erosions, and 11 oesophagitis. Because of endoscopic findings 30 patients were treated medically and 2 by endoscopic polypectomy. Endoscopy lead us to cancel cholecystectomy in 4 patients; in 2 the complaints have persisted. Patients with abnormal endoscopic findings showed few significant differences in 40 variables (history and symptoms) compared with patients with normal findings. The incidence of ulcers, erosions or oesophagitis in patients over 72 years of age without loss of weight was 28.6%, compared with an overall incidence of 10.6%. Endoscopy confined to this group of patients, however, would have shown only 15% of all lesions. Consequently these predictors for endoscopic abnormalities had no practical benefit. Technology assessment according to the criteria of Fineberg et al. showed a health improvement for only 2 patients (0.5%). We conclude that routine endoscopy before laparoscopic cholecystectomy is not clinically useful in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. This is exclusively related to patients with typical gallstone symptoms according to our definition.