The natural history of gallstones: the GREPCO experience

High rate of complicated idiopathic gallstone disease in pediatric patients of a North American tertiary care center

“…In contrast, the majority of the few male patients in the idiopathic gallstone group with cholecystectomy had black or dark colour stones, and the patients without cholecystectomy classed as idiopathic gallstone disease had an equal gender distribution. We therefore conclude that adolescent female patients with complicated gallstone disease and yellowish gallstones are a patient group with adult type of idiopathic gallstone disease [13,14] , as opposed to the remaining patients who may have diverse etiologies, as previously described [15,16] . Patients < 2 years of age (17.3%) were examined as a separate group, because in most cases their conditions had been requiring medical care since birth.…”

Asymptomatic Gallstones (AsGS) – To Treat or Not to?

“…This review will attempt to summarize the information available in the literature regarding the natural history of AsGS in general as well as in special clinical situations, and the risks of cholecystectomy, to put the problem in perspective. may radiate to the back or the right scapula, typically develops rapidly, is severe, steady and unrelieved by usual household remedies, change of position or passage of gas [2]. Whether 'dyspeptic symptoms' in the absence of typical biliary pain can be attributed to GS, remains a contentious issue.…”

“…The absolute risk of developing GBC was <1%. According to the Italian Group for Epidemiology and Prevention of Cholelithiasis study [2], the annual complication rate of initially asymptomatic patients was even less (0.3-1.2%).…”

A study of cholelithiasis in adolescent children attending a tertiary care hospital

“…In other studies, the idiopathic category was reported between 23.2%-52.5%. [3][4][5][6] Thirty eight patients out of 51 in the symptomatic group and 5 out of 9 patients from asymptomatic group did not have any predisposing factors. Among the identifiable factors, commonest was use of ceftriaxone in the past two weeks.…”

“…This has led to increased detection of even asymptomatic gallbladder Calculi. [1][2][3][4][5] In children, however, the literature on the natural history of asymptomatic gallstones is limited to a number of smaller series. 6,7 With this background of limited information on cholelithiasis, we analyzed the profile of cholelithiasis in adolescent children with special emphasis on presenting symptoms and predisposing factors.…”