[Extracorporeal lithotripsy in acute obstructive cholecystitis]

Available is pilot experience in the use of extracorporeal shock--wave lithotripsy for acute--stage management of calculous cholecystitis running with obturation of the cystic duct in the absence of complications. Crushing of the stones resulted in elimination of the duct obturation and compression of the gallbladder in 95% of the patients, the acute episode was arrested and 50% of those treated got free of the stones. These therapeutic results are promising and evidence extracorporeal lithotripsy efficiency in acute obstructive cholecystitis.