Surgical practice in symptomatic and asymptomatic gallstone disease.

Aims: To determine the surgical practice in individuals with symptomatic and asymptomatic gallstone disease using a questionnaire survey.

Methods: A questionnaire was sent to 724 patients with gallstone disease. Details of symptoms, duration of illness, nature of treatment including surgery, color of gallstones retrieved and postoperative follow-up particulars were obtained.

Results: The study group included 225 (54%) men; there was a rising trend of prevalence of gallstones in men with increasing age (p<0.05). A third of the patients (142 [34%]) were symptomatic. The mean duration of symptoms was 12.1 months. One hundred and ninety seven patients (48%), including 90 asymptomatic ones, underwent cholecystectomy. Most patients (92.5% of those symptomatic and 76.6% of those asymptomatic) underwent cholecystectomy within one year of diagnosis. Eight asymptomatic patients underwent surgery 3 years or more after diagnosis. The predominant color of stones retrieved was black or brown (57%) or mixed (39%).

Conclusions: A majority of patients with gallstone disease had cholecystectomy within one year of diagnosis. Black or brown pigment stones were the dominant types of gallstones.