RESUMEN
The knowledge of the gallstones chemical composition is very important from view point of lithogenesis and possible medical therapy of dissolution. The composition (chemical) of gallstones in 30 consecutive colecistectomized patientes were studied in the 2nd. Departament of Surgery of Hospital San Juan de Dios, Santa Cruz, Bolivia (altitude 1900 m). All gallbladder stones wee washed, counted, measured and dried before sending them to Japan to be processed. The composition of gallstones was analyzed by infrared absorption spectroscopy. Cholesterolemia, age, sex and number of stones were analyzed in cases of pure cholesterol stones. The incidence of pure cholesterol stones was 56,6%, statistically similar to be reported by other authors, but very low if compared with the valley area of Bolivia (Cochabamba altitude 2300m) where hypothyroidism is frequent. Hypercholesterolemia had little relation with the pure cholesterol gallstones. There was no difference in the chemical composition and the size of the stones, but while their number was small, cholesterol stones were more frequent. The low incidence of pure cholesterol stones may show a bad nutritional condition of our population (poor fat and protein content) and this results is important in order in using the new advance: lithodissolvent drugs