Dissolution of bile duct stones by a hydrophilized glyceromonooctanoin-bile-acid-EDTA emulsion

The clinical suitability of conventional glyceromonooctanoin (GMOC) and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) containing solvents for the dissolution of common bile duct stones is questionable. To improve the solvent-stone contact and the miscibility with bile, GMOC was hydrophilized by the addition of polyethyleneglycol-caprylglyceride, polyethyleneglycol-sorbitan-etheroleyl-ester, and polyethyleneglycol-sorbitanlauryl-ester (PEG-GMOC). This product was mixed with a bile acid-EDTA (BA-EDTA) solution in a ratio of 1:2 (v/v) for cholesterol solubilizing and calcium complexing capacities. To determine clinical efficiency, the new solvent was infused via a nasobiliary tube in 16 patients with endoscopically nonextractable common bile duct stones and compared with a group of 16 patients treated with an alternating GMOC/BA-EDTA regimen. Continuous perfusion with PEG-GMOC-BA-EDTA led to a total (12 patients) or partial (3 patients) disappearance of the stones within 2-15 days. Similarly, alternating GMOC and BA-EDTA treatment dissolved the stones in 12 patients. The average volume of PEG-GMOC-BA-EDTA infused contained only 27% of the GMOC applied during the alternating therapeutic regime. This reduction of the GMOC dose was associated with a significant reduction of adverse effects such as emesis, diarrhea and biliary pain. We concluded that GMOC is equally efficient in the new hydrophilized form but it is clearly superior as far as side effects are concerned. In all, this supports its clinical suitability for the dissolution treatment of common bile duct stones.