Cholelithiasis in the Syrian population. A prospective study of 189 patients.

A prospective study of 189 Syrian patients with cholelithiasis was performed to throw light on some features of the disease in Syria. Early or emergency cholecystectomies were performed in 28 percent of all operations, whereas elective operations were carried out in the remaining patients. Explorations of the common bile ducts were performed in 34 patients, only 4 of whom had no stones. Wound and chest infections represented the most common postoperative complications. There was only one postoperative death, which was reportedly due to massive hemorrhage from esophageal varices. Analysis of the stones removed after cholecystectomies revealed that 72.4 percent were of mixed composition, 19.4 percent were pure cholesterol, and 8.2 percent were pigmented stones.