[Intraoperative echography during surgery for biliary lithiasis]

We present the experience with the use of intraoperative ultrasonography in detecting biliary calculi on 55 patients, 19 of which had lithiasis of the common bile duct. Operative ultrasonics imaging of the biliary tree and operative cholangiography had a similar accuracy when both explorations were performed. In this series, accuracy indexes of ultrasonography in diagnosing choledocholithiasis were: sensitivity, 84.21%; specificity, 100%; efficiency, 94%; predictability of a positive test, 100%; predictability of a negative test, 92%. We think ultrasonography is a better exploration in two conditions: when intrahepatic duct lithiasis exists and if calculi are at the end of choledochus, because differentiation with neoplastic changes is easier.