To investigate the pathologic change of gallbladder mucosa related to gallstone formation, 52 mice were fed a lithogenic diet containing 1% cholesterol and 0.5% cholic acid and we evaluated the sequential morphologic changes in the gallbladder from two days to 40 weeks. Cholesterol gallstones began to appear after two weeks and all the mice had gallstones after eight weeks. At two days, the mitotic index was at its highest. The gallbladder mucosa showed progressive hyperplastic change with earlier papillary projection of the folds and later inward proliferation. At the same time of stone formation, mucous cells forming glands appeared. Their histochemical profile of mucin was different from that of normal epithelium. Numbers of mucous cells increased gradually until 24 weeks but slightly decreased afterward. These results suggest hyperplasia and metaplasia are closely related to the gallstone formation. Hyperplasia is probably reactive to irritating effect of lithogenic bile or stone. Metaplasia and cholesterol gallstone may develop simultaneously, and act synergistically.
Animal ; Cholelithiasis/pathology* ; Cholelithiasis/etiology ; Cholelithiasis/chemically induced ; Cholesterol/administration & dosage ; Cholic Acid/administration & dosage ; Diet* ; Gallbladder/pathology* ; Mice ; Mice, Inbred C57BL ; Mucous Membrane/pathology

OBJECTIVETo explore the ultrastructural changes of hepatocyte fibrogenesis in cholelithiasis in biliary tract.

METHODSl0 liver biopsies were taken from the patients suffered from gallstone and choledocholithiasis during surgical treatment and the ultrastructural changes were observed under electromicroscope.

RESULTSThere were plentiful collagenous microfibrils (CMFs) grown within some hepatocytes. These CMFs distributed locally or diffusely in cytoplasm even extended into nucleus. In 7 cases numerous megamitochondrias appeared in several hepatocytes, the inclusions mimicking fibrils could be frequently seen and grew beyond the envelope. Furthermore, typical CMFs could be seen in the large microbodies, and several vesicular or cystic structures similar as fibroblast were presented in marginal areas of the hepatocytes.

CONCLUSIONSWe deduce that the fibrosed hepatocytes may be remained and take part in the hyperplasia of hepatic fibrous tissue.

Adult ; Cholelithiasis ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Female ; Hepatocytes ; pathology ; ultrastructure ; Humans ; Liver Cirrhosis ; pathology ; Male ; Middle Aged

A 24-year-old lady with recurrent upper abdominal pain, underwent surgery for cholelithiasis based on imaging diagnosis by ultrasound scanning. At laparotomy, the gall bladder could not be found either in its normal or ectopic locations. The diagnosis of agenesis of the gall bladder was confirmed by operative cholangiography. Duplication cysts of the hepatic flexure were discovered in the position normally occupied by the gall bladder. The stony hard faeces in the cysts were probably interpreted as gallstones on ultrasound. This rare condition is discussed and the importance of intraoperative cholangiography is stressed.
Adult ; Cholelithiasis ; diagnosis ; Colonic Diseases ; complications ; pathology ; Cysts ; complications ; pathology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Female ; Gallbladder ; abnormalities ; Humans

Over the decades, there has been a great deal progress in the understanding of gallstones owing to the continuous efforts aimed at elucidating their pathogenesis. An optimal classification system is needed because the etiology, pathogenesis, clinical features and treatment can be different according to the classes. Currently, two systems are widely used: one from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) -International Workshop on Pigment Gallstone Disease held in 1981 and the other from Gallstone Research Committee from the Japanese Society of Gastroenterology in 1984. However, some stones cannot be classified into either of these categories. In addition, several terms have been not been clearly defined. In several aspects, both systems need to be reevaluated. This paper reviewed the classification systems and terms that are currently used for gallstones, and raises several points that need to be reconsidered. In the near future, large scaled prospective studies on gallstones need to be carried out on the basis of the external color, chemistry, cutting surface, etc. Only when these studies are completed can an ideal classification system for gallstones be expected.
Cholelithiasis/*classification/history/pathology ; History of Medicine, 19th Cent. ; History of Medicine, 20th Cent. ; Human ; Korea ; *Terminology

A 13-year-old Thoroughbred mare, retired from race, was admitted to Equine Hospital, Korea Racing Association with signs of colic. One and a half months following the previous treatment (second time) and 11 days following her previous discharge (third time), the mare repeatedly exhibited signs of colic and finally along with icteric eyes. Routine medical treatment with intravenous fluids, analgesics resulted in resolution of signs of colic in the first and second admission. The condition of the mare did not improve in the third admission despite over one month supportive treatment and she was subject to euthanasia at the request of the owner on the thirtyeighth day of hospitalization (95 days from her first admission). The clinical signs (fever, icterus, mild intermittent colic) in conjunction with clinical laboratory findings (leukocytosis, elevations of serum total bilirubin, direct bilirubin, alkaline phosphatase, aspartate aminotransferase, gamma glutamyl transferase, creatine phosphokinase, lactic dehydrogenase and blood fibrinogen indicative of obstructive biliary disease) in this mare suggested possible chlolelithiasis. However, liver enzymes and bilirubin estimations are often not part of routine screening in emergency colic cases. At necropsy, multiple dark brown choleliths of various sizes obstructing hepatopancreatic ampulla were found in the hepatic duct. The choleliths were found as large as 3-5 cm in diameter, faceted to each other, dark brown in color and showed soap consistency. Histopathologic findings revealed: biliary fibrosis, plugging of the bile canaliculi with bile pigments, cholangiohepatitis and pigmentation of the hepatic lymph node with bile pigment laden macrophages. Although definitive diagnosis of cholelithiasis might be challenging, clinicians should consider this condition in the differential diagnosis of recurrent colic.
Animals ; Cholelithiasis/complications/pathology/*veterinary ; Colic/complications/pathology/therapy/*veterinary ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Horse Diseases/*pathology ; Horses

We have reported a case of Mirizzi syndrome preoperatively diagnosed using MR cholangiopancreatography. MRCP and T2-weighted image using a single-shot fast spin-echo sequence accurately depicted all components of Mirizzi syndrome, including impacted stone in the neck of the gallbladder compressing the common hepatic duct and wall-thickening of the gallbladder without any evidence of malignancy. The combination of MRCP and T2-weighted image can be counted on to replace conventional modalities of diagnosing Mirizzi syndrome without any loss of diagnostic accuracy.
Bile Duct Diseases/etiology* ; Bile Duct Diseases/diagnosis ; Case Report ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholelithiasis/diagnosis ; Cholelithiasis/complications* ; Constriction, Pathologic/etiology ; Gallbladder/pathology ; Hepatic Duct, Common* ; Human ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging* ; Male ; Middle Age ; Syndrome

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Diagnosis of bile duct strictures as well as detection and localization of hepatolithiasis is important for an effective treatment of hepatolithiasis. For this purpose, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and percutaneous transhepatic cholangiography (PTC) have been preferred as the diagnostic modalities of choice for hepatolithiasis. At present, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is rapidly replacing ERCP. To determine the usefulness and limitation of MRCP for detecting hepatolithiasis and biliary strictures, we compared the result of MRCP with that of percutaneous transhepatic cholangioscopy (PTCS) as the standard reference. METHODS: Sixty-six patients with primary hepatolithiasis who underwent both MRCP and PTCS were enrolled. All patients underwent PTCS within 2 weeks of MRCP. The results of MRCP were reviewed by radiologists who were unaware of the clinical information about the location of hepatolithiasis and the presence of biliary strictures. RESULTS: The sensitivity and specificity of MRCP for detecting intrahepatic stones were 72.4 and 90%, respectively. The sensitivity of MRCP for depicting intraheptic bile duct strictures was 64%. The overall agreement between MRCP and PTCS for intrahepatic stones showed a good reliability (kappa value=0.64, p<0.05). The agreement of MRCP for hepatolithiasis with intrahepatic bile duct strictures with reference to PTCS showed a moderate reliability (kappa value=0.47, p<0.05). Imaging findings such as pneumobilia and hepatic parenchymal atrophy were related to false positive results in location of hepatolithiasis (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: MRCP has a good agreement rate in evaluation of intrahepatic stones and a moderate agreement rate in intrahepatic strictures, compared to PTCS.
Adult ; Aged ; Bile Duct Diseases/*diagnosis ; Bile Ducts/pathology ; *Bile Ducts, Intrahepatic ; Cholangiopancreatography, Endoscopic Retrograde ; Cholelithiasis/*diagnosis ; Female ; Humans ; *Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Sensitivity and Specificity

PURPOSE: The laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become a common procedure for treating gallbladder disease. The objectives of this study was to evaluate the learning curve by reviewing 145 patients treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy, between Group A (From January 1991 to December 1995) and Group B (From January 1996 to December 2000). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 145 laparoscopic cholecystectomies performed at the Department of General Surgery, National Medical Center, from January 1991 to December 2000. The sex, age, operation time, associated disease, previous operation history, hospital stay, and pathology were reviewed. RESULTS: The ratio of Females to males was 1.9:1, and their age ranged from 18 to 80 years with the majority in their fifties and sixties. Most of the operative indications were cholelithiasis. The mean operative time was 89 minutes, which varied between 40 and 180 minutes, and the average admission time was five days. The operation times of Group A and Group B were statistically significant with respect to learning curve (p value<0.000). A linear regression test of the operation time and operation cases was also significant. The postoperative analgesic injection and hospital stay were improved in Group B, but had no statistical significance. A conversion to open cholecystectomy was done in four cases due to bleeding, severe adhesion, or clip migration of the cystic duct during surgery. CONCLUSION: The laparoscopic cholecystectomy was a safe and effective treatment for gallbladder disease, and wepredict that the operation time will become shorter with more experience.
Cholecystectomy ; Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic* ; Cholelithiasis ; Cystic Duct ; Female ; Gallbladder Diseases ; Hemorrhage ; Humans ; Learning Curve ; Length of Stay ; Linear Models ; Male ; Operative Time ; Pathology ; Retrospective Studies

Fourtyone patients fo gallbladder and bile duct diseases were studied clinically and sonographically.Tweentynine (Seventyone percent) patients were distributed between age fourty to fiftynine and male to femaleratio was 1:1.4. The order of frequency of biliary tract disease was cholelithiasis, acalculous cholecystitis, CBDstone and CBD cancer. Sonographic findings of cholelithiasis were strong echo with posterior shadowing, faintinternal echoes without shadowing, gallbladder wall thickneing and anechoicity of the gallbladder wall. Instead ofsmall proportion of gallbladder distension and wall anechoicity, faint internal echoes without shadowing were seenin ten of nineteen cases of cholelithiasis. On choledocholithiasis, meniscus sign at the junction of the stone andgallbladder wall was identified in most cases and was helpful to differentiation stone from malignancy. The degreeof CBD dilatation was more severe in malignancy than in CBD stones and ascaris in CBD. Sonographic examination wasuseful in detection of gallbladder and bilicary tree pathology and the cause of biliary tract obstruction could beidentified.
Acalculous Cholecystitis ; Ascaris ; Bile Duct Diseases ; Biliary Tract Diseases ; Biliary Tract ; Choledocholithiasis ; Cholelithiasis ; Dilatation ; Gallbladder ; Humans ; Male ; Pathology ; Shadowing (Histology) ; Trees ; Ultrasonography

This study was designed to investigate the effect of cholestyramine on the formation of pigment gallstones in high carbohydrate diet-fed hamsters and whether that effect occurred because of cholecystokinin action. Forty seven hamsters were divided into three groups: group I(n = 16) was fed on normal rodent chow(43% carbohydrate), group II(n = 14) was fed on a high CHO diet(65% carbohydrate), group III(n = 17) was fed on a high CHO diet containing 4% cholestyramine. Gallstones developed in 0% of group I, 42.9% of group II and 5.9% of group III(P< 0.05, group II vs III). To evaluate the chronic status of cholecystokinin level, the wet weight of pancreas and the average area of pancreatic acinar in microscopic high power field were measured. There was no significant difference between group II and group III in pancreatic weight and average area of pancreatic acinar(P> 0.05). In gallbladder bile analysis, there was also no significant difference between group II and group III in cholesterol, phospholipid, total calcium, total bilirubin and bile acid levels. In conclusion, cholestyramine decreases the frequency of pigment gallstone formation in high CHO diet-fed hamsters, but it is not clear whether the mechanism of cholestyramine decreasing the gallstone formation is due to the action of cholecystokinin.
Animal ; Bilirubin/metabolism ; Cholecystokinin/*analysis ; Cholelithiasis/*pathology ; Cholesterol/metabolism ; Cholestyramine/*administration & dosage ; Dietary Carbohydrates/*administration & dosage ; Female ; Gallbladder/*metabolism/pathology ; Hamsters ; Male ; Mesocricetus ; Organ Weight ; Pancreas/physiopathology ; Phospholipids/metabolism ; Pigmentation ; Support, Non-U.S. Gov't