Pattern of gall stone disease in Madras city, south India--a hospital based survey

Abstract

Gall stone disease profile was studied retrospectively in 346 patients between Aug 1986 and 1992. The mean age for men was 51.1 years and for women 46.2 years. Male female ratio was 1.3:1. Gall stones were statistically more common in nonvegetarian alcoholics. Smoking did not influence its occurrence. Cholecystectomy was preferred to medical treatment. Chemotherapy failed to show any therapeutic response. Macroscopically 77% of calculi were pigment and 17% mixed stones. Rest were cholesterol stones. The demographic pattern of gall stone disease, the morphological appearance of calculi and response to medical treatment differs from gall stones in North India.