[The calcium bile syndrome in children]

The "limy bile" is uncommon in adults and very exceptional in childhood. The authors report a new case of a 7 years old girl. The review of the literature since Churchman's description (1911) allowed to collect eleven other cases of children, less than fifteen old. The usual sexual distribution in biliary diseases with female predominance is not true for them: eight boys for four girls. The youngest was three years and six months old. All but one have presented mainly right upper abdominal pain and vomiting. The diagnosis was made by an abdominal plain film showing a spontaneous visualization of the gallbladder which contained a material made of carbonate of calcium. One was an operative detection. All presented a stone of neck of gallbladder or cystic duct. The origin of "limy bile" is unknown. Nine children have been operated (cholecystectomy) with good result. Spontaneous disappearance of "limy bile" was noted in three cases. It was marked by acute abdominal pain, inconstant jaundice or pancreatic reaction. No surgical care was brought with nor further problems or recurrence.