COUNTS OF BACTERIA AND PYOCITES OF CHOLEDOCHAL BILE IN CONTROLS AND IN PATIENTS WITH GALLSTONES OR COMMON BILE-DUCT STONES WITH OR WITHOUT ACUTE CHOLANGITIS

Background/Aims: The number of colonies of bacteria and the number of pyocites present per ml of choledochal bile was studied. Patients and Methods: There were 42 controls, 100 patients with symptomatic gallsto nes, 42 patients with common duct stones without cholangitis and 24 pa tients with common duct stones and acute cholangitis. Results: Control subjects had no bacteria present at gallbladder bile. Only 3% of pati ents with gallstones had more than. 10(5) colonies per ml which increa sed to 36% in patients with common. duct stones without cholangitis an d to 84% among patients with acute cholangitis (p < 0.001). There were more polybacterial flora among patients with acute cholangitis and an aerobic bacteria were not seen in patients with gallstones. Patients w ith acute cholangitis had significantly more pyocites present at chole dochal bile. Conclusion: There is a direct correlation between the num ber of colonies present per mi of choledochal bile and the severity of biliary tract disease. Patients with acute cholangitis had significan tly more pyocites present at choledochal bile compared to gallstones o r patients with CBD stones without cholangitis.