OBJECTIVETo evaluate the optimal timing of hepatectomy for intrahepatic lithiasis complicated with acute cholangitis.

METHODSOne hundred and twenty-six patients with hepatolithiasis who had a history of acute cholangitis and underwent hepatectomy were reviewed retrospectively. According to the period between the surgery and last attack of acute cholangitis, 126 patients were divided into 3 groups: > 3 months (group A, n = 73), 1 approximately 3 months (group B, n = 28), < 1 month (group C, n = 25). The operation time, blood loss, hospital stay, postoperative complications and stone residual rate were compared among the groups.

RESULTSThe intraoperative blood loss of C group was (644.0 +/- 625.7) ml, which was significantly higher than those of A and B group [(409.2 +/- 250.7) ml and (423.2 +/- 237.1) ml, respectively]. The numbers of patients who needed transfusion and the amount of blood transfusion in group C were also higher than those of group A and B. The incidence rate of complications, residual stone in group C were all markedly higher than those of group A and B. The period of hospital stay in group C was much longer than that in group A and B.

CONCLUSIONSThe optimal timing of hepatectomy for hepatolithiasis complicated with acute cholangitis is at least one month after subsidence of cholangitis.