INTRAOPERATIVE ULTRASONOGRAPHY AS A ROUTINE SCREENING-PROCEDURE IN BILIARY SURGERY

Intra-operative cholangiography and ultrasonography were compared in s creening for unsuspected common bile duct stones. In 57 consecutive pa tients both procedures were performed, and in 60 only ultrasonography was used. Although the study was conducted during the initial self-tea ching period (regarding ultrasonography) the results show an advantage of this relatively new diagnostic technique. The false positive rate was lower and consequently the predictive value of a positive test was higher for intraoperative ultrasonography. The main benefit would thu s be a lower rate of negative common bile duct explorations. Our early results suggest that the general surgeon would need only a short adap tation period to this imaging modality, which would seem to be a valua ble alternative to intra-operative cholangiography.