[Cholecystectomy in asymptomatic gallstones. Indications, opportunities and arguments in favor of surgical intervention].

Abstract

Asymptomatic biliary lithiasis (discovered accidentally by paraclinical methods or intraoperatively) is, despite its hidden character, a state of disease. Asymptomatic lithiasis--having a frequency of 1.3%-7.5%--requires the use of several therapeutical measures. In this way some severe complications at the onset or at the turning of disease into a clinically manifest suffering, especially after the age of 60-70 years, or concomitantly with other affections, might be avoided. The conservatory therapeutical means have limited indications, or results dependent on several parameters, and some methods require a special equipment. The author pleads for cholecystectomy, which, if no complication appears, offers a radical solution with minimum morbidity and unsignificant postsurgical mortality indices.