PERCUTANEOUS GALLSTONE REMOVAL - LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP

PURPOSE: To evaluate gallstone and symptom recurrence rates, long-term complications, and life expectancy after percutaneous gallstone remov al. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Medical records of 87 patients (mean age, 69 years +/- 14 [standard deviation]) undergoing percutaneous gallstone removal between 1987 and 1992 were reviewed, Physicians and patients ( or their families) were contacted for clinical follow-up, Thirty-one p atients returned for follow-up ultrasound (US). RESULTS: The final stu dy group consisted of 65 patients, Mean survival from the time of init ial gallbladder drainage was 33 months +/- 19, Over a mean clinical fo llow-up period of 33 months, eight of 65 patients (12%) developed recu rrent symptoms; six of these eight had recurrent gallstones shown at U S, Of 30 patients with technically adequate US images (mean follow-up, 14 months +/- 12), 12 (40%) had recurrent gallstones, Six of these 12 patients had recurrent symptoms, No long-term complications were iden tified. CONCLUSION: The risk of gallstone recurrence after percutaneou s removal is notable, but the symptom recurrence rate is much lower, P ercutaneous gallstone removal is beneficial for patients at prohibitiv e surgical or general anesthetic risk.