Cholelithiasis in childhood: a follow-up study.

Fifteen children with cholelithiasis who were treated at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow between 1973 and 1985 are reviewed. Ten patients had idiopathic gallstones and five had gallstones in association with hereditary spherocytosis. All patients have been followed up for between 4 months and 12 years (mean 4.1 years): ultrasonography has been carried out on 13. Fourteen patients underwent surgery of whom only seven had symptoms from their gallstones. Nine patients had cholecystostomy and removal of gallstones, four patients had cholecystectomy (one had negative exploration of the common bile duct in addition) and one patient with choledocholithiasis underwent choledochotomy with transduodenal sphincterotomy. One patient did not have surgery; she has remained asymptomatic and ultrasound examination confirms that she still has a solitary gallstone in her gallbladder. Clinical review with ultrasonography shows that cholecystostomy with removal of gallstones appears to be an acceptable alternative to cholecystectomy.