[Acute pancreatitis in biliary microlithiasis: a study of the biliary sediment]

The Authors report the results of a clinical trial based on the study of the biliary sediment in cases of acute pancreatitis considered as idiopathic that, on the contrary, resulted to be correlated to a condition of biliary microlithiasis. Four cases of biliary acute pancreatitis out of 94 are reported (1979-1988) in which the diagnosis of biliary microlithiasis was possible only through the microscopic analysis of the bile, that documented a significant presence of cholesterol and/or bilirubinate crystals. It allowed a proper therapeutic approach.