Biliary colic and functional gallbladder disease

A. E. Rajagopalan and J. Pickleman

We carried out a review of 358 patients undergoing cholecystectomy during a seven-year period. Twenty-one patients were found to have classic biliary colic with a normal oral cholecystogram. All patients were female and had symptoms for three to 120 months (mean, 24 months). Cholecystosonography, upper gastrointestinal (GI) tract x-ray series, and infusion tomography of the gallbladder, when performed, were normal. Twelve patients underwent cholecystokinin (CCK) cholecystography. Failure of normal contraction of the gallbladder was noted in all 12. All 21 underwent cholecystectomy; three months postoperatively, all patients were relieved of their pain, and 15 of the 16 available for long-term follow-up (averaging 22 months) were completely cured of their symptoms. We conclude that the young woman with typical biliary colic and a normal oral cholecystogram, gallbladder ultrasound study, and upper GI tract x-ray series should undergo CCK cholecystography. If the results are positive, these patients can be reliably cured by cholecystectomy.