[Results of cholecystectomy in painful abdominal crises of children with sickle cell anemia]. / Résultats de la cholécystectomie sur les crises douloureuses abdominales de l'enfant drépanocytaire.

Homozygous SS sickle cell anemia affects 0,25% of the population of the West-Indies, and 10% of these children have biliary lithiasis. Together with the vascular thromboses, these stones are the cause of frequent painful abdominal crises. A group of 12 children with biliary lithiasis were operated upon between 1979 and 1983. Emphasis is placed on the relative frequency of complications of the cholelithiasis, on the high morbidity of the operations, and the almost constant good results as shown by disappearance of the abdominal pains. It is concluded that routine ultrasound imaging should investigate the possible presence of bile stones in children, and operative treatment for these stones should be systematic. Post-operative complications should diminish as a result of pre- and immediate post-operative exchange transfusions.