IN-VITRO STUDY COMPARING THE ABILITY OF MONO-OCTANOIN AND MONO-OCTANOIN PLUS METHYL TERT-BUTYL ETHER TO DISSOLVE BILIARY STONES

This in vitro study compared the gallstone dissolution rates of mono-o ctanoin, mono-octanoin plus 10% distilled water, and mono-octanoin plu s methyl tert-butyl ether 2:1, Sixteen stones were treated with each s olvent at a slow perfusion rate of 3-4 ml/h and a rapid perfusion rate of 2.5 ml/30 min with 20-sec instillation/aspiration cycles, both wit h and without bile, The stones were weighed before, and 3, 6, 12 and 2 4 hrs after the start of treatment: the solvent was changed every 30 m in, After 24 hrs of instillation/aspiration without bile, the mono-oct anoin/methyl tert-butyl ether mixture reduced the weight of the stones by 93%, mono-octanoin plus water by 63%, and mono-octanoin alone by 5 2%; with bile, the figures were, respectively, 86%, 42% and 40%, The m ono-octanoin/methyl tert-butyl ether mixture thus took approximately h alf the time needed by the other two preparations to dissolve the ston es to the same extent, a finding which may be relevant for the clinica l dissolution of bile duct stones.