COMBINED TRADITIONAL CHINESE AND WESTERN MEDICINE IN CHOLEDOCHOLITHIASIS AND INTRAHEPATIC CHOLELITHIASIS

This paper reports 163 cases of intra- and extrahepatic choledocholithiasis treated by nonoperative general attack therapy(GAT) using combined traditional Chinese and western medicine from 1971 to 1976. The results were encouraging in 70% of the cases. Stones expelled were found in the stool or loss of stone shadows was recorded on cholangiograms in 64.4% and in 26.6% the X-ray stone shadow disappeared after treatment.Indications for GAT include ductal stones around 1 cm in transverse diameter, extensive intrahepatic stones and postoperative residual stones. The mechanism of stone expulsion by GAT is discussed on the basis of both clinical and laboratory studies. Factors that may influence clinical GAT results are also discussed.