THE FATE OF LONG-STANDING INTRAPERITONEAL GALLSTONE IN THE RAT

Gallstones are occasionally spilled into the peritoneal cavity during open and laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Using the rat model, we investi gated the long term effect of such retained intraperitoneal gallstones . During a follow-up period of one year, no systemic deleterious outco me could be attributed to the presence of the implanted gallstones exc ept for mild local effects. Based on the rat model we conclude that re asonable effort should be made in order to retrieve an escaped gallsto ne, but there is no justification whatsoever for a conversion of the l aparoscopic procedure to an open laparotomy only for the purpose of re trieving a lost stone.