After the Second World War the number of biliary diseases has abruptly risen and lithiasis has become in many regions the most frequent surgical disease of the abdomen. At present, though there are perspectives of rational conservative treat- ment and though endoscopic techniques permit removing some of its complications even without laparotomy, the basic treatment method still remains, and probably shall remain for long the classical surgical intervention. On the contrary, the indications for such intervention are always widening, as its risks become always smaller and the requirements for...