[Diagnosis and treatment of post-cholecystectomy syndrome]

The authors analyse the results of examination of 154 patients who were admitted for the postcholecystectomy syndrome, 130 of them underwent retrograde cholangiopancreatography. The most common cause of the postcholecystectomy syndrome was residual or recurrent choledocholithiasis (38.5%), stricture of the major duodenal papilla or terminal part of the choledochus (34.6%). Treatment of the syndrome was differentiated and three methods were applied: operative--43 patients, endoscopic--45 patients, and combined--3 patients. Nasobiliary drainage was conducted in 63 patients in preparation for a surgical or endoscopic operation. Indications for the use of different methods of treatment are shown. With the use of the endoscopic techniques and combination of laparoscopic and endoscopic methods of surgical treatment, the number of laparotomies in patients with the postcholecystectomy syndrome reduced by one half and the operative intervention became less injurious.