Rapid dissolution of gallstones by methyl tert-butyl ether. Preliminary observations.

ALTHOUGH surgery has been the time-honored treatment for cholelithiasis, dissolution of gallbladder or bile-duct stones has received increasing interest in the past decade. Numerous solvents have been administered either orally or by direct infusion into the biliary system.1 However, a slow rate of stone dissolution or troublesome side effects have restricted the clinical utility of these agents. Chenodiol and ursodeoxycholic acid usually require one to three years to achieve complete stone dissolution when they are effective. The currently preferred agent for direct dissolution, mono-octanoin, usually requires 3 to 21 days to dissolve cholesterol duct stones.2 3 4 5 6 A much more useful approach . . .