[Clinical course of asymptomatic cholecystolithiasis]

Gallbladder concrements were found in 6.7% of 30,000 persons over 40 years of age during dispensary screening. In 720 (2.4%) of them the clinical and laboratory findings corresponded to those in chronic calculous cholecystitis, whereas in 1,290 persons gallbladder concrements were asymptomatic. Detailed study of 84 records of patients with asymptomatic cholecystolithiasis made in possible to recognize in most of them also chronic inflammatory diseases and dyskinesia of the gastrointestinal tract which could be conducive to the formation of concrements. During a 4-year follow-up period, signs of chronic calculous cholecystitis appeared in only 6% of these patients. The authors conclude that most patients with asymptomatic cholecystolithiasis must be subjected to regular medical examination and only with the development of a clinical picture of chronic calculous cholecystitis only some of them should be treated by surgery.