LONG-TERM FOLLOW-UP OF PATIENTS WITH SYMP TOMATIC AND ASYMPTOMATIC CHOLELITHIASIS

Background: In Chile, cholelithiasis is a serious public health proble m and there are no studies about its natural history. Aim: To assess t he long term evolution of patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic c holelithiasis. Patients and methods: Ninety two patients with cholelit iasis (57 female), aged 15 to 80 years old and that were not operated, were followed during a period of 9 to 14 years. Results: Thirteen pat ients were initially asymptomatic. Of them, seven had complications or symptoms during follow-up and two were operated. Among the 69 symptom atic patients, 38 (55%) were not operated during follow-up, a seventee n (25%) did not have symptoms again. Ten patients died during follow-u p, four due to complications of biliary tract stones. Conclusions: The present finding suggest that the evolution of cholelithiasis in Chile is more aggressive than aboard, and an early surgical treatment is wa rranted.