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1: Am Fam Physician. 2000 Mar 15;61(6):1673-80, 1687-8.Links

Management of gallstones and their complications.

Ahmed A, Cheung RC, Keeffe EB.

Stanford University School of Medicine, California, USA.

The accurate differentiation of gallstone-induced biliary colic from other abdominal disease processes is the most crucial step in the successful management of gallstone disease. Despite the availability of many imaging techniques to demonstrate the presence of gallstones, clinical judgment ultimately determines the association of symptoms with cholelithiasis and its complications. Adult patients with silent or incidental gallstones should be observed and managed expectantly, with few exceptions. In symptomatic patients, the intervention varies with the type of gallstone-induced complication. In this article, we review the salient clinical features, diagnostic tests and therapeutic options employed in the management of gallstones and their complications.

PMID: 10750875 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]

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Patient Drug Information

  • Ursodiol (Actigall® )

    Ursodiol is used to dissolve gallstones in patients who do not want surgery or cannot have surgery to remove gallstones. Ursodiol is also used to prevent the formation of gallstones in overweight patients who are losing ...

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