As is common to many races of Oriental countries, bile duct stones are frequently seen in Korean. In an attempt to investigate etiological factors concerned in the formation of the bile duct stone, 100 cases with surgically proven ductal stones were sampled arbitarily and subjected to an analytical review. The cases were seen at the Department of Surgery, St. Mary´s Hospital, Catholic Medical College, during the past 5 years.
The following results were obtained.
1. Out of 100 cases of choledocholithiasis, 37 cases showed stones in the common duct only. Another 37 cases had stones both in the common duct and gall bladder. in 23 cases, stones were found both in the common and intrahepatic ducts. In the remaining 3 cases, stones were seen in both common and intrahepatic ducts as well as in the gall bladder.
2. The highest incidence fell in the 5th decade. The sex ratio was almost equal, (48 males and 52 females).
3. The majority of the patients were operated within 6 months after the onset of the disease.
4. A history of jaundice or active icteric discoloration was noted in 48 cases, and 42 cases had an infectious type of fever.
5. Five cases showed normal function of the gall bladder on oral cholecystography.
6. As to the component of the stones, the stones in 40 cases were made up of bilrubin, in 10 cases cholesterol and in the remaining 31 cases mixed type.
7. Stones and ascaris were coexisted in 12 cases. Interestingly enough, 1 case there were 8 stones arranged in a rosary-form which were, in turn, connected to the body of dead ascarise. Three cases were complicated with clonorchiasis.
8. In 40 per cent of the cases, the stones were thought to have been formed in the biliary tracts, not in the gall bladder.
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