[Incomplete dissolution of calculi. Calcification, cholecystectomy, after treatment of biliary lithiasis with...

Among 54 patients with radiolucent asymptomatic gallstones treated by chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), 32 failures were observed. In 15 cases the size of gallstones did not change. In 11 cases the size of gallstones decreased but dissolution was not complete. In 6 cases the treatment had to be interrupted early because of the side-effects. In 10 patients (8.7 p. 100 of the treated patients) calcifications of gallstones occurred. In 9 patients (16.7 p. 100), a cholecystectomy had to be performed because of complications. The incidence of biliary complications necessitating cholecystectomy was significantly higher (p less than 0.001) in patients in whom CDCA failed to induce changes in gallstone size than in patients in whom CDCA was successful. Overall, a decrease of gallstones size was observed in 61 p. 100 of the 54 treated patients. However complete dissolution occurred in only two thirds of these patients. Patients in whom gallstone size decreased seldom presented with a biliary complication. Our data suggest that, when no obvious diminution of gallstones size is evident within six months of treatment, it is not advisable to continue the administration of CDCA. In case of failure, the responsibility of CDCA in the appearance of calcifications or even of complications necessitating cholecystectomy has to be discussed.