Published online Sep 15, 2000. doi: 10.3748/wjg.v6.iSuppl3.103
Revised: June 16, 2000
Accepted: July 10, 2000
Published online: September 15, 2000
AIM: To study the physico-chemical properties of biliary calculus and the relationship between the calculus formation and the phase change of liquid crystal, providing the best evidence for the biliary calculus prevention and treatment.
METHODS: The cholesterol contents in thirty one cases of biliary calculus in Kunming were determined by double-wave-length TLC scanning with high efficiency silicagel films.
RESULTS: Under magnifiers, the granular biliary calculus from 31 patients were classified according to their section structures and colours, as cholesterol cholelith, 25 cases; bilirubin cholelith, 4 cases and compound cholelith, 2 cases. By TLC scanning, it was found that the content of cholesterol in human biliary calculus was 71%-100%, about 80% cholesterol bilestones whose cholesterol content was more than 90% being pure cholesterol bilestones.
CONCLUSION: Cholesterol bilestone is the main human biliary calculus in Kunming, which was in accordance with X-ray analysis. Compared with the related reports, it is proved that the proportion of cholesterol bilestones to biliary calculus is increasing because of the improved life standard and the decrease of bilirubin bilestones resulted from bile duct ascariasis or bacteria infection in China since 90 s, and that the increase of cholesterol in-take leads to the increase of cholesterol metabolism disorder.