Primary cholesterol hepatolithiasis.

Stones extracted from patients with hepatolithiasis were analysed by infrared spectrophotometry. Cholesterol stones containing 70% or more cholesterol were found in 12 out of 55 cases. Judging from the lodging site of the stones, the degree of dilatation of the cystic duct, and the presence of cholecystitis, five of the cases were considered to be cholesterol stones produced in the liver. Two out of the five cases were a 44-year-old female and a 46-year-old female, respectively, with normal bifurcation of intrahepatic ducts, and stones were found in the lateral branches of dilated cystic bile ducts. The other three were 2 males and 1 female with an average age of 33. In these cases, the posterior descending branch bifurcated from the left hepatic duct, and stones were lodged in the dilated bile ducts distal to the junction of the left hepatic duct and the posterior descending branch. It is our conclusion that at least the former two were cases of "primary cholesterol hepatolithiasis" in view of the shape of the stones conforming to the hepatic duct, their easy morcellation, and the high cholesterol contents.