R OLE OF UPPER GASTROINTESTINAL ENDOSCOPY IN PATIENTS WITH SYMPTOMATIC GALLSTONE DISEASE ? A PROSPECTIVE , DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Introduction: Many patients with symptomatic cholelithiasis report persisting abdominal pain after cholecystectomy, suggesting alternative causes of these symptoms. The current study was conducted to determine the co - incidence of gallstones with different upper GI pathologies and to evaluate the role of upper GI e ndoscopy in patients with symptomatic gallstone disease. Materials & Methodology: This prospective, descriptive study was conducted in Shija Hospitals & Research Institute from 1 st January to 31 st December, 2014. Patients of both sexes and any age with sym ptomatic gallstone disease were included in the study. Patients with acalculus cholecystitis, jaundice and pancreatitis were excluded from the study. Result: Total 89 patients were included in the study. Mean age of presentation was 44.37 years. Upper GI e ndoscopy revealed different abnormal pathologies in 23 patients (25.8%). Gastritis was most common (12.4%) pathological finding. Oesophageal cancer & gastric cancer were detected in single patient each. The management plan had to be changed in 7.9% of pati ents based on the upper GI endoscopy findings (P value <0.001) . Conclusion: Upper GI endoscopy in symptomatic gall stone disease can be helpful to diagnose other upper GI pathologies and hence may help in better patient management