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Systemic Litholysis with Bile Acids: Ursodeoxycholic Acid

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Gallstone Disease

Abstract

In 1972 cholesterol gallbladder stones were dissolved for the first time with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) [1, 2]. CDCA induced a rise in transaminases and diarrhea in 20%–30% of patients treated; complete stone dissolution was observed in 60%–70% of cases, depending on stone number and size. In 1973 Nakano and Nakano [3] reported for the first time the successful dissolution of cholesterol gallbladder stones with ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). This result was confirmed in a prospective study by Makino et al. [4]. UDCA has the advantage that it can be administered entirely without side effects.

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  1. Medizinische Klinik I, Zentralkrankenhaus Reinkenheide, Postbrookstr., D-2850, Bremerhaven, Germany

    W. Kurtz

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  1. W. Kurtz
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  1. Abteilung Innere Medizin II, Gastroenterologie und Ernährungswissenschaften, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Robert-Koch-Straße 8, D-7900, Ulm, Germany

    W. Swobodnik  & H. Ditschuneit  & 

  2. Division of Gastroenterology, University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, 4.106 McCullough, G-64, 77550, Galveston, TX, USA

    R. D. Soloway

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Kurtz, W. (1990). Systemic Litholysis with Bile Acids: Ursodeoxycholic Acid. In: Swobodnik, W., Soloway, R.D., Ditschuneit, H. (eds) Gallstone Disease. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74619-2_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-74619-2_14

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