Cholelithiasis in infancy and child hood: spectrum and current management

ABSTRACT

The advances of imaging studies have led to the recognition of cholelithiasis in infancy ad childhood with increasing frequency. This study includes twenty eight children with cholelithiasis managed at the surgical departments of Ains Shams University Hospital, cairo and Arabian Oil Company Hospital, Saudi Arabia over the past 4 years. Their ages ranged from 1 to 12 years. Twelve children suffered from predisposing disorders eight had gall stones in association with hearditary spherocytosis and underwent cholecystetomy during the course of splenectomy while four premature babies were treated with total parenteral nutrition [TPN] prior to the diagnosis of cholelithiasis and showed spontaneous stone resolution within 1 year. sixteen children had idiopathic gall stones twelve of them underwent open cholecystectomy [in addition to cystogastrostomy for pancreatic pseudocyst in one of them], while four had laparoscopic cholecystectomy [LC]. Follow up period ranged from 3 months to 4 years. We highlight the importance of nonoperative treatment of childhood cholelithiasis in elected patients aiming at spontaneous stone resolution and the advantages of applying laparoscopic cholecystectomy [LC] in children