Surgical treatment for biliary lithiasis in patients associated with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis

BACKGROUND: Incidences of the variety of postoperative complications in surgical treatment for patients with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis is the clinically accepted opinion. The aim of this study was to ascertain the safety of surgical treatment for patients of biliary lithiasis with chronic renal failure on hemodialysis. METHODS: Eleven consecutive patients with biliary lithiasis, who had a history of chronic renal failure treated with hemodialysis, were selected. The peri-operative course in-each of these cases was investigated. RESULTS: There was no incidence of peri-operative problems and postoperative complications in cases treated with laparoscopic cholecystectomy. One case treated with cholecystectomy with laparotomy had a slight degree of postoperative pneumonia, which soon improved after administration of antibiotics. Only one case, treated with choledochotomy, resulted in operative death due to accidental septic shock from an unknown origin. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical treatment of patients with biliary lithiasis and chronic renal failure on hemodialysis can be safely performed with appropriate operative indications and noninvasive surgical techniques.