Publication:

Gastroscopic evaluation of patients with dyspeptic symptoms with incidental finding of cholelithiasis

Background Patients with dyspeptic symptoms are subjected to ultra-sonography by many practitioners and post for Cholecystectomy, if there is a finding of cholelithiasis. Many of these patients continue to have post operatively similar pain which they experienced before the cholecystectomy surgery. This made us think of doing upper gastrointestinal endoscopy to find any upper gastrointestinal disease in oesophagus, stomach or duodenum. So that if we get any positive endoscopic finding we can treat those conditions before posting the patients for cholecystectomy. Aim of the study was to study outcome of upper gastrointestinal endoscopy in patient with dyspeptic symptoms having gall stones, to evaluate whether there is any other cause of dyspepsia apart from cholelithiasis.

Methods This study was conducted at a single teaching hospital in Mumbai over a period of 3 years. Prospectively, 60 patients were studied for upper endoscopy findings associated with dyspepsia in a patient of cholelithiasis.

Results Abnormal findings of upper gastrointestinal findings on endoscopy were seen in 65% of patients.

Conclusions All Patients with dyspepsia should undergo upper gastrointestinal endoscopy before subjecting to any other radiological investigations.