PERCUTANEOUS ROTATIONAL LITHOTRIPSY OF GALLBLADDER STONES - CLINICAL-RESULTS WITH THE ROTOLITH LITHOTRIPTOR

Ten patients (aged 39-94 years) with cholecystolithiasis were selected for percutaneous rotational lithotripsy with the Rotolith lithotripto r either because they were considered high-risk patients for cholecyst ectomy or because they had refused surgery. The procedure was complete d in 7 patients. Five of these were stone-free at cholangiography 1 to 2 days after lithotripsy. Conclusive cholangiograms were not obtained in 2 patients due to gallbladder leakage, which in itself did not cau se any serious sequelae. At ultrasonography after one month, one of th ese 2 patients had no visible gallbladder, the other one had small res idual gallbladder stones. Rotational lithotripsy is an alternative to cholecystectomy in patients at high surgical risk, especially elderly patients who have undergone cholecystostomy as an emergency treatment for acute cholecystitis.