Brief Reports
Copyright ©The Author(s) 2004. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.
World J Gastroenterol. Jan 15, 2004; 10(2): 303-305
Published online Jan 15, 2004. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v10.i2.303
Determination of chemical composition of gall bladder stones: Basis for treatment strategies in patients from Yaounde, Cameroon
Fru F. Angwafo III, Samuel Takongmo, Donald Griffith
Fru F. Angwafo III, Samuel Takongmo, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Yaounde I, Cameroon
Donald Griffith, Department of Urology, Baylor University, Houston, Texas, USA
Author contributions: All authors contributed equally to the work.
Correspondence to: Fru F. Angwafo III, MD, Department of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Yaounde I, PO Box 1364, Yaounde, Cameroon. asanji25@hotmail.com, fobuzshi@yahoo.com
Telephone: +237-7705749 Fax: +237-2315733
Received: June 4, 2003
Revised: September 6, 2003
Accepted: September 13, 2003
Published online: January 15, 2004
Abstract

AIM: Gallstone disease is increasing in sub-saharan Africa (SSA). In the west, the majority of stones can be dissolved with bile salts, since the major component is cholesterol. This medical therapy is expensive and not readily accessible to poor populations of SSA. It was therefore necessary to analyze the chemical composition of biliary stones in a group of patients, so as to make the case for introducing bile salt therapy in SSA.

METHODS: All patients with symptomatic gallstones were recruited in the study. All stones removed during cholecystectomy were sent to Houston for x-ray diffraction analysis. Data on age, sex, serum cholesterol, and the percentage by weight of cholesterol, calcium carbonate, and amorphous material in each stone was entered into a pre-established proforma. Frequencies of the major components of the stones were determined.

RESULTS: Sixteen women and ten men aged between 27 and 73 (mean 44.9) years provided stones for the study. The majority of patients (65.38%) had stones with less than 25% of cholesterol. Amorphous material made up more than 50% and 100% of stones from 16 (61.53%) and 9 (34.61%) patients respectively.

CONCLUSION: Cholesterol is present in small amounts in a minority of gallstones in Yaounde. Dissolution of gallstones with bile salts is unlikely to be successful.

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