ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF ROUNDWORMS IN GALLBLADDER AND COMMON BILE-DUCT - REPORT OF 4 CASES

Four patients who complained of symptoms and signs compatible with bil iary tract disease and in whom the diagnosis of gallbladder (three cas es) and common bile duct ascariasis (one case) was made sonographicall y are reported. In two patients with gallbladder ascariasis, cholecyst ectomy corroborated the presence of the roundworms, and was curative. The third patient was a pregnant woman (32nd gestational week) who too k piperazine citrate, and a second sonogram performed 29 days later wa s completely normal. The fourth patient with common bile duct ascarias is underwent choledochotomy with extraction of one ascaris lumbricoide s from the common duct, and a T tube was left in place for 15 days. Al l patients received antiparasitics and had a favorable outcome. Ultras onography is an important noninvasive diagnostic procedure in the work -up of these patients, who usually describe a clinical picture suggest ing gallstone disease: this is especially true in the presence of preg nancy.