Intraperitoneal drain in cholelithiasis operations.

571 patients were operated on for cholelithiasis, 70 acute cases and 501 chronic ones. On 142 cases of the latter type choledochus exploration was performed, while on the others only simple cholecystectomy was carried out. Intraperitoneal drain in the form of a latex tube was used on all the acute cases except 4, on all who underwent choledochus exploration except 3, and on 254 of the 359 chronic cases on whom simple cholecystectomy was performed. The analysi of the material shows that the indications for intraperitoneal drainage are not very convincing after cholecystectomy at a chronic stage, considering the amount of fluid drawn via the intraperitoneal drain and the complications that arose. After choledochus exploration, however, intraperitoneal drain serves its purpose in connection with the removal of the choledochus drain. Intraperitoneal drain should therefore be used when choledochus has been explored. In routine cases it should not be removed until the choledochus drain has been withdrawn.