Gall stones in patients with disorders of the terminal ileum and disturbed bile salt metabolism.

In a combined historical and radiological survey gall stones were found in 23 out of 72 patients with disorders of the terminal ileum (31.9%). This is four to five times the expected incidence of cholelithiasis. In these patients the incidence of gall stones was not related to age, but did, however, increase with increased duration of the ileal disorder. Glycine/taurine conjugation ratios of bile salts in the bile were abnormally high in 10 out of 11 patients with ileal disorders. Both impaired bile salt recirculation and absorption of poorly soluble bacterially degraded bile salts are possible causes of cholelithiasis in these patients.