To discover whether cirrhotic
portal hypertension patients with symptomatic
cholelithiasis would benefit from cholecystolithotomy combined with
Armillarisin A in the authors hospital. Methods: Sixty-one patients with cirrhotic
portal hypertension and symptomatic
gallstone disease who underwent either cholecystolithotomy combined with
Armillarisin A (group A) or
cholecystectomy (group B) for
cholelithiasis from Feb 2007 to March 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. These patients were undergoing simultaneous procedure for
esophageal varices. The operation-relevant information, change of laboratory examination data, postoperative complications and symptoms were analyzed. Results: There were no significant differences between group A and group B in mean
operative time, intraoperative blood loss, time to resume diet postoperatively and length of
hospital stay (P 0.05). The hepatic function biochemical profile and Child-Pugh's score at 2 weeks and 1 month after operations were both altered significantly less in group A than in group B (ALT, 0.008, 0.011; AST, 0.006, 0.003; Child-Pugh's score, 0.010, 0.016, respectively). However, at 6 months postoperatively, the changes were not significant (P 0.05). Except for
gallstone recurrence and
wound infection, occurrences or development of postoperative complications including
biliary fistula,
liver failure and subphrenic
infection showed significant differences between the two groups (P = 0.037, P = 0.041, P = 0.019, respectively). After a mean follow-up of 4.2 years, all patients remain alive. Twenty-seven patients in group A (93%) are free of biliary symptoms.
CONCLUSION: