Andrés García Marín's research while affiliated with Hospital de Hellín and other places

Introduction: choledocholithiasis can be primary from stones originally formed in the choledocho or secondary from stones that have migrated from the gallbladder to the choledocho. The objective of this study was to determine the clinical differences between both types of choledocholithiasis in cholecystectomy patients. Material and methods: a comparative and retrospective study was performed of cholecystectomy patients who presented choledocholithiasis. Residual or secondary choledocholithiasis (group 1) was defined as those which appear in the first two years after cholecystectomy and primary choledocholithiasis (group 2) was defined as those which appear two years after cholecystectomy. Choledocholithiasis was confirmed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or surgery. Results: patients with primary choledocholithiasis (n = 14) were older (61.5 ± 20.3 vs 74.4 ± 10.5 years; p = 0.049) and had a greater body mass index (BMI) (27.7 ± 4.3 vs 31.6 ± 4.6 kg/m2; p = 0.043) and a larger extrahepatic bile duct diameter (10.7 ± 2.7 vs 14.7 ± 3.5 mm; p = 0.004) compared to patients with residual or secondary choledocholithiasis (n = 11). All patients were treated by ERCP. There were no differences between groups 1 and 2 regarding recurrences (36.2 % vs 14.3 %; p = 0.350), disease-free survival (64.6 ± 30.9 vs 52.2 ± 37.7 months; p = 0.386) and overall survival (73.6 ± 32.4 vs 54 ± 41.9 months; p = 0.084). Conclusions: patients with primary choledocholithiasis were older and had a greater BMI and a larger diameter of the bile duct compared to patients with residual or secondary choledocholithiasis. ERCP is a good therapeutic option for the resolution of both types of choledocholithiasis.

Chilaiditi's sign is the interposition of small bowel or colon between the liver and diaphragm. This incidental finding is seen in 0,025-0,28% of the chest and abdominal radiographies. Predisposing factors include the absence, laxity or elongation of the suspensory ligaments of the transverse colon, redundant colon or elevation of the right hemidiaphragm. Atrophy or hypoplasia of the liver is an uncommon cause of this radiological sign. On the other hand, suprahepatic gallbladder is the most infrequent location of gallbladder ectopies (0,026-0,7%). It is associated with an abnormal development of the right liver lobe such as agenesis, hypoplasia or atrophy. We present the case of a 73-year-old man with Chilaiditi's sign, hepatic hypoplasia and acute calculous cholecystitis in an ectopic suprahepatic gallbladder.