Ether Treatment of Gall-Stones Impacted in the Common Duct

Biliary Interventions: A Historical Perspective

“…1 They even predicted the possibility of dissolving gallstones by injecting "var ious materials." Later in the 1920s, Dr. Pribram 2 in Berlin described using ether to treat gallstones im pacted in the common duct. His report analyzed 38 cases.…”

New Approaches to Common Bile Duct Calculi - Roles of MethylTert-Butyl Ether, Monooctanoin, and Mechanical Fragmentation

“…Shortly after our 1985 report in this publication on the percutaneous management of biliary stones, 1 studies appeared in the medical literature describing a new cholesterol solvent, methyl tert-butyl ether (MTBE), whose properties and initial clinical trials suggested its great potential for the rapid dissolution of radiolucent gallstones. 2,3 It has long been known that diethyl ether, the general anesthetic, is an effective cholesterol solvent, [4][5][6] but this substance has certain disadvantages that hindered its widespread clinical application. For example, at body temperature, liquid diethyl ether volatizes to at least 200 times its volume, causing acute, painful distention if instilled into the biliary system.…”