Cholelithiasis in infancy: Resolution of Gallstonesin three of four infants

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

1-1-1986

Journal

Journal of Pediatric Surgery

Volume

21

Issue

7

DOI

10.1016/S0022-3468(86)80405-5

Keywords

Cholelithiasis

Abstract

Cholelithiasis in infancy is believed to be a rare finding.It is also held that all cholelithiasis in infancy has a predisposing factor such as hemolysis, prolonged fasting, congenital abnormality of the biliary tree, or the administration of TPN and is associated with severe morbidity and mortality. In the last three years, four infants at our hospital have been found on real-time ultrasonography to have gallstones. Their ages ranged from 3 weeks to 6 months. One patient had a hemolytic disease but the finding of cholelithiasis in the other three patients was incidental. A repeat sonogram in the infant with hemolysis three months after initial recognition and one day before scheduled cholecystectomy revealed spontaneous resolution of the gallstones. This led us to a conservative approach in the other three patients. Two more infants had spontaneous resolution of their gallstones and one child, now aged 16 months, is thriving with a persistent asymptomatic gallstone visible on sonogram. © 1986 Grune & Stratton, Inc.

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