[An endoscopic method of the treatment of complicated acute calculous cholecystitis]

Surgical treatment of acute cholecystitis attended by an affection of the extrahepatic bile ducts often leads to severe complications, particularly in elderly and old-aged patients, the mortality rate in such cases reaches 5-12%. The authors developed and introduced into practice a method of endoscopic treatment of acute combined diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts, which included endoscopic papillotomy, antegrade catheterization of the gallbladder (laparoscopic cholecystostomy, transhepatic gallbladder drainage), antegrade perfusion with antiseptics under pressure, and various types of ante- and retrograde lithotripsy. Endoscopic method of treatment of combined diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts makes it possible to remove the acute inflammatory process and in some cases may be an alternative to an emergency surgical operation.