Cholelithiasis in children with sickle cell disease
G. Karayalcin, N. Hassani, M. Abrams and P. Lanzkowsky
A group of 47 children with homozygous sickle cell disease ranging in age
from 2 to 18 years was studied for the prevalence of gallstones. All of
these patients had oral cholecystogram and cholecystosonogram. Eight of the
47 patients (17%) had gallstones both on oral cholecystography and on
cholecystosonography. These eight patients had a history of recurrent
abdominal pain usually localized to the right upper quadrant. All were
admitted on several occasions for sickle cell abdominal crises and four of
these were admitted for acute hepatic crisis. These patients have undergone
elective cholecystectomy and gallstones were found in every patient. The
patients have been followed up from seven to 17 months after
cholecystectomy and none have had abdominal symptoms or required
hospitalization for abdominal crises.
