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Accelerated gallstone dissolution in methyl tert-butyl ether by sonication. An in vitro study.
1Department of Radiology, Toronto Hospital, Ontario, Canada.
Investigative Radiology
|May 1, 1992
Summary
Therapeutic ultrasound significantly accelerates in vitro gallstone dissolution using methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) for non-calcified and partially calcified stones. This sonication method proved much more effective than manual stirring.
Area of Science:
- Biochemistry
- Medical Engineering
- Gastroenterology
Background:
- Gallstones pose a significant clinical challenge.
- Current dissolution methods have limitations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of 195 KHz therapeutic ultrasound in enhancing gallstone dissolution with methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE) in vitro.
Main Methods:
- Human gallstones were analyzed using computed tomography (CT) and biochemical methods.
- Stones were categorized into noncalcified, partially calcified, and heavily calcified groups.
- Dissolution was tested with MTBE, comparing sonication, manual stirring, and control groups.
Main Results:
- Sonication reduced dissolution time by 96% for noncalcified stones compared to controls.
- Ultrasound was 3-4 times more effective than manual stirring for noncalcified stones.
- Sonication aided dissolution of partially calcified stones but not heavily calcified ones.
Conclusions:
- Therapeutic ultrasound significantly accelerates MTBE-mediated gallstone dissolution in vitro.
- The positive effect is observed for stones lacking heavy calcification.
- This suggests a potential adjunctive therapy for specific gallstone types.