What are gallstones?

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What are gallstones?

Gallstones are stones that form in the gall (bile).

Bile is a watery liquid made by the cells of the liver that is important for digesting food in the intestine, particularly fat.

Liver cells secrete the bile they make into small canals within the liver.

The bile flows through the canals and into larger collecting ducts within the liver (the intrahepatic bile ducts).

The bile then flows within the intrahepatic bile ducts out of the liver and into the extrahepatic bile ducts-first into the hepatic bile ducts, then into the common hepatic duct, and finally into the common bile duct.
From the common bile duct, there are two different directions that bile can flow.

The first direction is on down the common bile duct and into the intestine where the bile mixes with food and promotes digestion of food.

The second direction is into the cystic duct, and from there into the gallbladder (often misspelled as gall bladder).
Once in the gallbladder, bile is concentrated by the removal (absorption) of water. During a meal, the muscle that makes up the wall of the gallbladder contracts and squeezes the concentrated bile in the gallbladder back through the cystic duct into the common duct and then into the intestine. (Concentrated bile is much more effective for digestion than the un-concentrated bile that goes from the liver straight into the intestine.) The timing of gallbladder contraction-during a meal-allows the concentrated bile from the gallbladder to mix with food.

Gallstones usually form in the gallbladder; however, they also may form anywhere there is bile; in the intrahepatic, hepatic, common bile, and cystic ducts.

Gallstones also may move about within bile, for example, from the gallbladder into the cystic or common duct.

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Re: What are gallstones?

Who is at risk for gallstones?

Risk for cholesterol gallstones.

There is no relationship between cholesterol in the blood and cholesterol gallstones. Individuals with elevated blood cholesterol do not have an increased prevalence of cholesterol gallstones. A common misconception is that diet is responsible for the development of cholesterol gallstones, however, it isn't. The risk factors for developing cholesterol gallstones include:

Gender. Gallstones form more commonly in women than men.

Age. Gallstone prevalence increases with age.

Obesity. Obese individuals are more likely to form gallstones than thin individuals.

Pregnancy. Women who have been pregnant are more likely to form gallstones than women who have not been pregnant. Pregnancy increases the risk for cholesterol gallstones because during pregnancy, bile contains more cholesterol, and the gallbladder does not contract normally.

Birth control pills and hormone therapy The increased levels of hormones caused by either treatment mimics pregnancy.

Rapid weight loss. Rapid weight loss by whatever means, very low calorie diets or obesity surgery, causes cholesterol gallstones in up to 50% of individuals. Many of the gallstones will disappear after the weight is lost, but many do not. Moreover, until they are gone, they may cause problems.

Crohn's disease. Individuals with Crohn's disease of the terminal ileum are more likely to develop gallstones. Gallstones form because patients with Crohn's disease lack enough bile acids to solubilize the cholesterol in bile. Normally, bile acids that enter the small intestine from the liver and gallbladder are absorbed back into the body in the terminal ileum and are secreted again by the liver into bile. In other words, the bile acids recycle. In Crohn's disease, the terminal ileum is diseased. Bile acids are not absorbed normally, the body becomes depleted of bile acids, and less bile acids are secreted in bile. There are not enough bile acids to keep cholesterol dissolved in bile, and gallstones form.

Increased blood triglycerides. Gallstones occur more frequently in individuals with elevated blood triglyceride levels.
Risk for pigment gallstones

Black pigment gallstones form whenever there is an increased load of bilirubin that reaches the liver. This occurs whenever there is increased destruction of red blood cells, as there is in sickle cell disease and thalassemia. Black pigment gallstones also are more common among patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Brown pigment gallstones form when there is stasis of bile (decreased flow), for example, when there are narrow, obstructed bile ducts.

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Re: What are gallstones?

What are the symptoms of gallstones?

The majority of people with gallstones have no signs or symptoms and are unaware of their gallstones. (The gallstones are "silent.") Their gallstones often are found as a result of tests (for example, ultrasound or X-ray examination of the abdomen) performed while evaluating medical conditions other than gallstones. Symptoms can appear later in life, however, after many years without symptoms. Thus, over a period of five years, approximately 10% of people with silent gallstones will develop symptoms. Once symptoms develop, they are likely to continue and often will worsen.

Gallstones are blamed for many symptoms they do not cause. Among the symptoms gallstones do not cause are:

dyspepsia (including abdominal bloating and discomfort after eating),

intolerance to fatty foods,

belching, and

flatulence (passing gas or farting).
When signs and symptoms of gallstones occur, they virtually always occur because the gallstones obstruct the bile ducts.

The most common symptom of gallstones is biliary colic. Biliary colic is a very specific type of pain, occurring as the primary or only symptom in 80% of people with gallstones who develop symptoms. Biliary colic occurs when the extrahepatic ducts-cystic, hepatic or common bile-are suddenly blocked by a gallstone. (Slowly-progressing obstruction, as from a tumor, does not cause biliary colic.) Behind the obstruction, fluid accumulates and distends the ducts and gallbladder. In the case of hepatic or common bile duct obstruction, this is due to continued secretion of bile by the liver. In the case of cystic duct obstruction, the wall of the gallbladder secretes fluid into the gallbladder. It is the distention of the ducts or gallbladder that causes biliary colic.

Characteristically, biliary colic comes on suddenly or builds rapidly to a peak over a few minutes.

It is a constant pain, it does not come and go, though it may vary in intensity while it is present.

It lasts for 15 minutes to 4-5 hours. If the pain lasts more than 4-5 hours, it means that a complication - usually cholecystitis - has developed.

The pain usually is severe, but movement does not make the pain worse. In fact, patients experiencing biliary colic often walk about or writhe (twist the body in different positions) in bed trying to find a comfortable position.

Biliary colic often is accompanied by nausea.

Most commonly, biliary colic is felt in the middle of the upper abdomen just below the sternum.

The second most common location for pain is the right upper abdomen just below the margin of the ribs.

Occasionally, the pain also may be felt in the back at the lower tip of the scapula on the right side.

On rare occasions, the pain may be felt beneath the sternum and be mistaken for angina or a heart attack.

An episode of biliary colic subsides gradually once the gallstone shifts within the duct so that it is no longer obstructing.
Biliary colic is a recurring symptom. Once the first episode occurs, there are likely to be other episodes. Also, there is a pattern of recurrence for each individual, that is, for some individuals the episodes tend to remain frequent while for others they tend to remain infrequent. The majority of people who develop biliary colic do not go on to develop cholecystitis or other complications.

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Re: What are gallstones?

What are the complications of gallstones?

Biliary colic is the most common symptom of gallstones, but, fortunately, it is usually a self-limiting symptom. There are, however, more serious complications of gallstones.

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis means inflammation of the gallbladder. Like biliary colic, it too is caused by sudden obstruction of the ducts by a gallstone, usually the cystic duct. In fact, cholecystitis may begin with an episode of biliary colic. Obstruction of the cystic duct causes the wall of the gallbladder to begin secreting fluid just as with biliary colic, however, for unclear reasons, inflammation sets in. At first the inflammation is sterile, that is, there is no infection with bacteria; however, over time the bile and gallbladder become infected with bacteria that travel through the ducts from the intestine.

With cholecystitis, there is constant pain in the right upper abdomen. Inflammation extends through the wall of the gallbladder, and the right upper abdomen becomes particularly tender when it is pushed or even tapped. Unlike with biliary colic, however, it is painful to move. Individuals with cholecystitis usually lie still. There is fever, and the white blood cell count is elevated, both signs of inflammation. Cholecystitis usually is treated with antibiotics, and most episodes will resolve over several days. Even without antibiotics, cholecystitis often resolves. As with biliary colic, movement of the gallstone out of the cystic duct and back into the gallbladder relieves the obstruction and allows the inflammation to resolve.

Cholangitis

Cholangitis is a condition in which bile in the common, hepatic, and intrahepatic ducts becomes infected. Like cholecystitis, the infection spreads through the ducts from the intestine after the ducts become obstructed by a gallstone. Patients with cholangitis are very sick with a high fever and elevated white blood cell counts. Cholangitis may result in an abscess within the liver or sepsis. (See discussion of sepsis that follows.)

Gangrene

Gangrene of the gallbladder is a condition in which the inflammation of cholecystitis cuts off the supply of blood to the gallbladder. Without blood, the tissues forming the wall of the gallbladder die, and this makes the wall very weak. The weakness combined with infection often leads to rupture of the gallbladder. The infection then may spread throughout the abdomen, though often the rupture is confined to a small area around the gallbladder (a confined perforation).

Jaundice

Jaundice is a condition in which bilirubin accumulates in the body. Bilirubin is brownish-black but yellow when it is not too concentrated. A build-up of bilirubin in the body turns the skin and whites of the eye (sclera) yellow. Jaundice occurs when there is prolonged obstruction of the bile ducts. The obstruction may be due to gallstones, but it also may be due to many other causes of obstruction, for example, tumors of the bile ducts or surrounding tissues. (Other causes of jaundice are a rapid destruction of red blood cells that overwhelms the ability of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood or a damaged liver that cannot remove bilirubin from the blood normally.) Jaundice, by itself, generally does not cause problems.

Pancreatitis

Pancreatitis means inflammation of the pancreas. The two most common causes of pancreatitis are alcoholism and gallstones. The pancreas surrounds the common bile duct as the duct enters the intestine. The pancreatic duct that drains the digestive juices from the pancreas joins the common bile duct just before it empties into the intestine. If a gallstone obstructs the common bile duct just after the pancreatic duct joins it, flow of pancreatic juice from the pancreas is blocked. This results in inflammation within the pancreas. Pancreatitis due to gallstones usually is mild, but it may cause serious illness and even death. Fortunately, severe pancreatitis due to gallstones is rare.

Sepsis

Sepsis is a condition in which bacteria from any source within the body, including the gallbladder or bile ducts, get into the blood stream and spread throughout the body. Although the bacteria usually remain within the blood, they also may spread to distant tissues and lead to the formation of abscesses (localized areas of infection with formation of pus). Sepsis is a feared complication of any infection. The signs of sepsis include high fever, high white blood cell count, and, less frequently, rigors (shaking chills) or a drop in blood pressure.

Fistula. A fistula is an abnormal tract through which fluid can flow between two hollow organs or between an abscess and a hollow organ or skin. Gallstones cause fistulas when the hard gallstone erodes through the soft wall of the gallbladder or bile ducts. Most commonly, the gallstone erodes into the small intestine, stomach, or common bile duct. This can leave a tract that allows bile to flow from the gallbladder to the small intestine, stomach, or common duct. If the fistula enters the distal part of the small intestine, the concentrated bile can lead to problems such as diarrhea. Rarely, the gallstone erodes into the abdominal cavity surrounding the abdominal organs. The bile then leaks from the gallbladder or bile duct throughout the abdominal cavity and causes inflammation of the lining of the abdomen (peritoneum), a condition called bile peritonitis.

Ileus. Ileus is a condition in which there is an obstruction of flow of digesting food, gas, and liquid within the intestine. It may be due to a mechanical obstruction, for example, a tumor within the intestine, or a functional obstruction, for example, inflammation of the intestine or surrounding tissues that prevents the muscle of the intestine from working normally and propelling its contents. If a large gallstone erodes through the wall of the gallbladder and into the stomach or small intestine, it will be propelled through the small intestine. The narrowest part of the small intestine is the ileo-cecal valve, which is located where the small intestine joins the colon. If the gallstone is too large to pass through the valve, it can obstruct the small intestine and cause an ileus.

Cancer. Cancer of the gallbladder almost always is associated with gallstones, but it is not clear which comes first, that is, whether the gallstones precede the cancer and, therefore, could potentially be the cause of the cancer. Moreover, cancer of the gallbladder arises in less than 1% of individuals with gallstones. Therefore, concern about future development of cancer alone is not a good reason for removing the gallbladder when gallstones are present.

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Re: What are gallstones?

What is the relationship of sludge to gallstones?

Sludge is a common term that is applied to an abnormality of bile that is seen with ultrasonography of the gallbladder. Specifically, the bile within the gallbladder is seen to be of two different densities with the denser bile on the bottom. The bile is denser because it contains microscopic particles, usually cholesterol or pigment, embedded in mucus. (The mucus is secreted by the gallbladder.) Over time, sludge may remain in the gallbladder, it may disappear and not return, or it may come and go. As discussed previously, these particles may be precursors of gallstones, and they occur often in some situations in which gallstones frequently appear, for example, rapid weight loss, pregnancy, and with prolonged fasting.

Nevertheless, it appears that sludge goes on to become gallstones in only a minority of individuals. Just to make matters more difficult, it is not clear how often - if at all - sludge alone causes problems. Sludge has been blamed for many of the same symptoms as gallstones-biliary colic, cholecystitis, and pancreatitis, but often these symptoms and complications are caused by very small gallstones that are missed by ultrasonography. Moreover, it is possible that these gallstone-like symptoms and complications are actually caused by small gallstones that have passed through the ducts and into the intestine rather than the sludge itself. Thus, there is uncertainty about the meaning of sludge.

It is clear, however, that sludge is not the equivalent of gallstones. The practical implication of this uncertainty is that unless an individual's symptoms are typical of gallstones, sludge should not be considered the cause of the symptoms.


How are gallstones diagnosed?

Gallstones are diagnosed in one of two situations.

The first is when there are symptoms or signs that suggest gallstones, and the diagnosis of gallstones is being pursued.

The second is coincidentally while a non-gallstone-related medical problem is being evaluated.
Ultrasonography is the most important means of diagnosing gallstones. Standard computerized tomography (CT or CAT scan) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may occasionally demonstrate gallstones; however, they are poor for doing so compared with ultrasonography.

Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography is a radiological technique that uses high-frequency sound waves to produce images of the organs and structures of the body. The sound waves are emitted from a device called a transducer and are sent through the body's tissues. The sound waves are reflected by the surfaces and interiors of internal organs and structures as "echoes." These echoes return to the transducer and are transmitted electrically onto a viewing monitor. From the monitor, the outline of organs and structures can be determined as well as their consistency, for example, liquid or solid.

There are two types of ultrasonography that can be used for diagnosing gallstones, 1) transabdominal ultrasonography and 2) endoscopic ultrasonography.

Transabdominal ultrasonography

For transabdominal ultrasonography the transducer is placed directly on the skin of the abdomen which has had a gel applied to it. The sound waves travel through the skin and then into the abdominal organs. Transabdominal ultrasonography is painless, inexpensive, and without risk to the patient. In addition to identifying 97% of gallstones in the gallbladder, abdominal ultrasonography can identify many other abnormalities related to gallstones. It can identify:

the thickened wall of the gallbladder when there is cholecystitis,

enlarged gallbladders and ducts due to obstruction of the ducts by gallstones,

pancreatitis, and

sludge.
Transabdominal ultrasonography also may identify diseases not related to gallstones that may be the cause of the patient's problem, for example, appendicitis. The limitations of transabdominal ultrasonography are that it can only identify gallstones larger than 4-5 millimeters in size, and it is poor at identifying gallstones in ducts.

Endoscopic ultrasonography

For endoscopic ultrasonography, a long flexible tube - the endoscope - is swallowed by the patient after he or she has been sedated with intravenous medication. The tip of the endoscope is fitted with an ultrasound transducer. The transducer is advanced into the duodenum where ultrasonographic images are obtained.

Endoscopic ultrasonography can identify gallstones and the same abnormalities as transabdominal ultrasonography; however, since the transducer is much closer to the structures of interest - the gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas - better images are obtained than with transabdominal ultrasonography. Thus, it is possible to visualize smaller gallstones with endoscopic than transabdominal ultrasonography. It also is better for identifying gallstones in the common bile duct.

Although endoscopic ultrasonography is in many ways better than transabdominal ultrasonography, it is expensive, not available everywhere, and carries the small risks of intravenous sedation and intestinal perforation by the endoscope. Fortunately, transabdominal ultrasonography usually gives all of the information that is necessary, and endoscopic ultrasonography is infrequently needed. Endoscopic ultrasonography also is a better way than transabdominal ultrasound to evaluate the pancreas.

Magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography (MRCP)

Magnetic resonance cholangio-pancreatography or MRCP is a relatively new modification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that allows the bile and pancreatic ducts to be examined.

For MRCP, the patient is placed in a strong magnetic field that aligns (magnetizes) the protons in the molecules of water in the tissues. (Protons are parts of the atoms that make up water molecules. All tissues of the body contain water though they contain different amounts of water.)

Energy-carrying radio waves then are passed through the tissues, and the energy is absorbed by the water's protons.

The radio waves then are turned off, and the protons release the energy they absorbed.

The released energy is used to form an image of the tissues and organs of the body.

The MRI separates tissues and organs based on their concentration of water. Since different tissues contain different amounts of water, the MRCP is very good at providing images of organs and tissues.

Since bile is mostly water, MRCP gives an excellent image of bile within the gallbladder and bile ducts. The pancreatic duct, which, like the bile ducts, is filled with a watery fluid, also is well-seen.
Thus, the procedure is called cholangio- (referring to the bile ducts) pancreatography (referring to the pancreatic duct).

MRCP has in many instances replaced other procedures such as cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan) and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). It can identify gallstones in the bile ducts, obstruction of the ducts, and bile leaks. There are no risks to the patient with MRCP.

Cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan)

Cholescintigraphy is a procedure done by nuclear medicine physicians. It sometimes is referred to as a HIDA scan or a gallbladder scan.

For a HIDA scan, a radioactive chemical is injected intravenously into the patient.

The radioactive chemical is removed from the blood by the liver and secreted into the bile.

The chemical then disperses everywhere that the bile goes-into the bile ducts, the gallbladder, the intestine, and any place else that bile goes.

A camera that senses radioactivity (like a Geiger counter) is then placed over the patient's abdomen and a "picture" of the liver, bile ducts, and gallbladder is obtained which corresponds to where the radioactive chemical has traveled within, or outside of the bile-filled bile ducts, and gallbladder.
HIDA scans are used to identify obstruction of the bile ducts, for example, by a gallstone. They also may identify bile leaks and fistulas. There are no risks to the patient with HIDA scans.

Cholescintigraphy is also used to study emptying of the gallbladder. Some patients with gallstones have had inflammation of their gallbladders due to recognized or unrecognized episodes of cholecystitis. (There also are uncommon, non-gallstone-related causes of inflammation of the gallbladder.) The inflammation can result in scarring of the gallbladder's wall and muscle, which reduces the ability of the gallbladder to contract. As a result, the gallbladder does not empty normally. During cholescintigraphy, a synthetic hormone related to cholecystokinin (the hormone the body produces and releases during a meal to cause the gallbladder to contract) can be injected intravenously to cause the gallbladder to contract and squeeze out its bile and radioactivity into the intestine. If the gallbladder does not empty the bile and radioactivity normally, it is assumed that the gallbladder is diseased as a result of gallstones or non-gallstone related inflammation.

The problem with interpreting a gallbladder emptying study is that many people with normal gallbladders have abnormal emptying of the gallbladder. Therefore, it is hazardous to base a diagnosis of a diseased gallbladder on abnormal gallbladder emptying alone.

Endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography (ERCP)

ERCP is an x-ray procedure to examine the duodenum (the first portion of the small intestine), the papilla of Vater (a small nipple-like structure where the common bile and pancreatic ducts enter the duodenum), the bile ducts, the gallbladder and the pancreatic duct.

The procedure is performed by using a long, flexible, viewing instrument (a duodenoscope, a type of endoscope) about the diameter of a fountain pen. The duodenoscope is flexible and can be directed and moved around the many bends of the stomach and intestine. The video-endoscope, the most common type of duodenoscope, uses a thin wire with a chip at the tip of the instrument to transmit video images to a TV screen.

First the patient is sedated with intravenous drugs.

The duodenoscope then is inserted through the mouth, to the back of the throat, down the food pipe (esophagus), through the stomach and into the first portion of the small intestine (duodenum).

Once the papilla of Vater is identified, a small plastic catheter (cannula) is passed through a channel in the duodenoscope into the papilla of Vater, and into the bile ducts and the pancreatic duct.

Contrast material (dye) then is injected, and x-rays are taken of the bile ducts, gallbladder and/or the pancreatic duct.
ERCP can identify 1) gallstones in the gallbladder (though it is not particularly good at this) and 2) blockage of the bile ducts, for example, by gallstones, and 3) bile leaks. ERCP also may identify diseases not related to gallstones that may be the cause of the patient's problem, for example, pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.

An advantage of ERCP is that instruments can be passed through the same channel as the cannula used to inject the dye to extract gallstones stuck in the common and hepatic ducts. This can save the patient from having an operation. ERCP has several important risks associated with it, including the drugs used for sedation, perforation of the duodenum by the duodenoscope, and pancreatitis (due to damage to the pancreas). If gallstones are extracted, bleeding also may occur.

Liver and pancreatic blood tests

When the liver or pancreas becomes inflamed or their ducts become obstructed, the cells of the liver and pancreas release some of their enzymes into the blood. The most commonly-measured liver enzymes in blood are aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The most commonly-measured pancreatic enzymes in blood are amylase and lipase. Many medical conditions that affect the liver or pancreas cause these blood tests to become abnormal, so abnormalities cannot be used to diagnose gallstones. Nevertheless, abnormalities in these tests suggest there is a problem with the liver, bile ducts, or pancreas, and gallstones are a common cause of such abnormal tests, particularly during sudden obstruction of the bile or pancreatic ducts. Thus, abnormal liver and pancreatic blood tests direct attention to the possibility that gallstones may be present and causing the acute problem.

Duodenal biliary drainage

Duodenal biliary drainage is a procedure that occasionally can be useful in diagnosing gallstones, however, it is not often used. As previously discussed, gallstones begin as microscopic particles of cholesterol or pigment that grow in size. It is clear that some people who develop biliary colic, cholecystitis, or pancreatitis have only these particles in their gallbladders, yet the particles are too small to obstruct the ducts. There are two potential explanations for how obstruction might occur in this situation. The first is that a small gallstone has obstructed and then finally passed through the bile ducts into the intestine. The second is that particles passing through the bile ducts can "irritate" the ducts, causing spasm of the muscle within the walls of the ducts (which obstructs the flow of bile) or inflammation of the duct that causes the wall of the duct to swell (and also obstructs the duct).

For duodenal drainage, a thin plastic or rubber tube with several holes at its tip is passed through a patient's anesthetized nostril, down the back of the throat, through the esophagus and stomach, and into the duodenum where the bile and pancreatic ducts enter the small intestine. This is done with the help of x-ray (fluoroscopy).

Once the tube is in place, a synthetic hormone related to cholecystokinin is injected intravenously. The hormone causes the gallbladder to contract and squeeze out its concentrated bile into the duodenum.

The bile then is sucked up through the tube in the duodenum and examined for the presence of cholesterol and pigment particles under a microscope.
The risks to the patient of duodenal drainage are minimal. (There have been no reports of reactions to the synthetic hormone.) Nevertheless, duodenal drainage is uncomfortable.

A modification of duodenal drainage involves collection of bile through an endoscope at the time of an upper gastrointestinal endoscopy-either esophago-gastro-duodenoscopy (EGD) or ERCP.

Oral cholecystogram (OCG)

The oral cholecystogram or OCG is a radiologic (x-ray) procedure for diagnosing gallstones.

For an OCG, the patient takes iodine-containing tablets for one or two nights in a row and then has an x-ray of his or her abdomen.

The iodine is absorbed from the intestine, removed from the blood by the liver, and excreted into bile.

In the gallbladder, the iodine becomes concentrated along with the bile.

On the x-ray, the iodine, which is dense and stops x-rays, fills the gallbladder and outlines the gallstones which are not dense, and allow x-rays to pass through them. The ducts cannot be seen on the x-ray because the iodine is not concentrated in the ducts.
The OCG is an excellent procedure for diagnosing gallstones; it finds 95% of them. The OCG has been replaced, however, by ultrasonography because ultrasonography is slightly better at diagnosing gallstones and can be done immediately without waiting one or two days for the OCG's iodine to be absorbed, excreted, and concentrated.

The OCG also cannot give information about the presence of non-gallstone related diseases like ultrasonography. As would be expected, ultrasonography sometimes finds gallstones that are missed by the OCG. Less frequently, the OCG finds gallstones that are missed by ultrasonography. For this reason, if there is a strong suspicion that gallstones are present but ultrasonography does not show them, it is reasonable to consider doing an OCG. An OCG should not be done in individuals who are allergic to iodine.

Intravenous cholangiogram (IVC)

The intravenous cholangiogram or IVC is a radiologic (x-ray) procedure that is used primarily for looking at the larger intrahepatic and the extrahepatic bile ducts. It can be used to locate gallstones within these ducts.

For an IVC, an iodine-containing dye is injected intravenously into the blood. The dye is removed from blood by the liver and excreted into bile. Unlike the iodine used in the OCG, the iodine in the IVC is concentrated enough in the bile ducts to outline the ducts and gallstones within them. The IVC is rarely used because it has been replaced by MRI cholangiography and endoscopic ultrasound . Moreover, occasional serious reactions to the iodine-containing dye can occur, which rarely may result in the death of the patient.

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Re: What are gallstones?

How are gallstones treated?

Observation

Most gallstones are silent.

If silent gallstones are discovered in an individual at age 65 (or older), the chance of developing symptoms from the gallstones is only 20% (or less) assuming a life span of 75 years. In this instance, it is reasonable not to treat the individual.

Among younger individuals, no treatment also might be appropriate if the individuals have serious, life-threatening diseases, for example, serious heart disease, that are likely to shorten their life span.

On the other hand, in healthy young individuals, treatment should be considered even for silent gallstones because the individuals' chances of developing symptoms from the gallstones over a lifetime will be higher. Once symptoms begin, treatment should be recommended since further symptoms are likely and more serious complications can be prevented.
Cholecystectomy

Cholecystectomy (removal of the gallbladder surgically) is the standard treatment for gallstones in the gallbladder. Surgery may be done through a large abdominal incision or laparoscopically through small punctures of the abdominal wall. Laparoscopic surgery results in less pain and a faster recovery. Cholecystectomy has a low rate of complications, but serious complications such as damage to the bile ducts and leakage of bile occasionally occur. There also is risk associated with the general anesthesia that is necessary for either type of surgery. Problems following removal of the gallbladder are few. Digestion is not affected, and no change in diet is necessary. Chronic diarrhea occurs in approximately 10% of patients.

Sphincterotomy and extraction of gallstones

Sometimes a gallstone may be stuck in the hepatic or common bile ducts. In such situations, there usually are gallstones in the gallbladder as well, and cholecystectomy is necessary. It may be possible to remove the gallstone stuck in the duct at the time of surgery, but this may not always be possible. An alternative means for removing gallstones in the duct before or after cholecystectomy is with sphincterotomy followed by extraction of the gallstone.

Sphincterotomy involves cutting the muscle of the common bile duct (sphincter) at the junction of the common bile duct and the duodenum in order to allow easier access to the common bile duct. The cutting is done with an electrosurgical instrument passed through the same type of endoscope that is used for ERCP. After the sphincter is cut, instruments may be passed through the endoscope and up into the hepatic and common bile ducts to grab and pull out the gallstone or to crush the gallstone. It also is possible to pass a lithotripsy instrument that uses high frequency sound waves to break up the gallstone. Complications of sphincterotomy and extraction of gallstones include the general anesthesia, perforation of the bile ducts or duodenum, bleeding, and pancreatitis.

Oral dissolution therapy

It is possible to dissolve some cholesterol gallstones with medication taken orally. The medication is a naturally-occurring bile acid called ursodeoxycholic acid or ursodiol (Actigall, Urso). Bile acids are one of the detergents that the liver secretes into bile to dissolve cholesterol. Although one might expect therapy with ursodiol to work by increasing the amount of bile acids in bile and thereby cause the cholesterol in gallstones to dissolve, the mechanism of ursodiol's action actually is different. Ursodiol reduces the amount of cholesterol secreted in bile. The bile then has less cholesterol and becomes capable of dissolving the cholesterol in the gallstones.

There are important limitations to the use of ursodiol:

It is only effective for cholesterol gallstones and not pigment gallstones.

It works only for small gallstones, less than 1-1.5 cm in diameter.

It takes one to two years for the gallstones to dissolve, and many of the gallstones reform following cessation of treatment.
Due to these limitations, ursodiol generally is used only in individuals with smaller gallstones that are likely to have a very high cholesterol content and who are at high risk for surgery because of ill health. It also is reasonable to use ursodiol in individuals whose gallstones were likely to have formed because of a transient event, for example, rapid loss of weight, since the gallstones would not be expected to recur following successful dissolution.

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy

Extracorporeal shock-wave lithotripsy (ESWL) is an infrequently used method for treating gallstones, particularly those lodged in bile ducts. ESWL generators produces shock waves outside of the body that are then focused on the gallstone. The shock waves shatter the gallstone, and the resulting pieces of the gallstone either drain into the intestine on their own or are extracted endoscopically as in sphincterotomy.

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Re: What are gallstones?

Prevention of gallstones

It would be better if gallstones could be prevented rather than treated. Prevention of cholesterol gallstones is feasible since ursodiol, the bile acid medication that dissolves some cholesterol gallstones, also prevents them from forming. The difficulty is identifying a group of individuals who are at high risk for developing cholesterol gallstones during a relatively short period of time so that the duration of preventive treatment can be limited. One such group is obese individuals losing weight rapidly with very low calorie diets or with surgery. The risk of gallstones in this group is as high as 40%-60%. In fact, ursodiol has been shown in several studies to be very effective at preventing gallstones in these individuals.


Can symptoms continue after gallstones are removed?

Removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) should eliminate all gallstone-related symptoms except in three situations:

gallstones were left in the ducts,

there were problems with the bile ducts in addition to gallstones, and

the gallstones were and are not the cause of the symptoms.
The possibility of gallstones in the ducts can be pursued with MRCP, endoscopic ultrasound, and ERCP. There is only one problem with the ducts that can cause gallstone-like symptoms, and that is a rare condition called sphincter of Oddi dysfunction, discussed below.

The common bile duct has a muscular wall. The last several centimeters of the common bile duct's muscle immediately before the duct joins the duodenum comprise the sphincter of Oddi. The sphincter of Oddi controls the flow of bile. Since the pancreatic duct usually joins the common bile duct shortly before it enters the duodenum, the sphincter also controls the flow of fluid from the pancreatic duct. When the muscle of the sphincter tightens, it shuts off the flow of bile and pancreatic fluid. When it relaxes, bile and pancreatic fluid flow into the duodenum, for example, after a meal. The sphincter may become scarred, and the duct is narrowed by the scarring. (The cause of the scarring is unknown.) The sphincter also may go into spasm intermittently. In either case, the flow of bile and pancreatic fluid may intermittently stop abruptly, mimicking the effects of a gallstone, particularly causing biliary colic and pancreatitis.

The diagnosis of sphincter of Oddi dysfunction can be difficult to make. The best diagnostic test requires an endoscopic procedure with the same type of endoscope as ERCP. Instead of filling the ducts with dye, however, the pressure within the sphincter is measured. If the pressure is abnormally high, scarring or spasm of the sphincter are likely. The treatment for sphincter of Oddi dysfunction is sphincterotomy. (described previously). Measurement of liver and pancreatic enzymes in the blood also may be useful for diagnosing sphincter dysfunction.

ALLHA HAFIZ

[saraah]

Re: What are gallstones?

HMMMM..I JUST HAVE A BIRD,S EYE VIEW......
ITS REALLY INFORMATIVE.....
THNAKS 4 SHARING........:thmbup:

[Admin]

Re: What are gallstones?

Aasan alfaaz mein:

Aap yun tassawwur karein keh aik coffee ka thermose hai, kuchh coffee uski teh mein beth jati hai ya jam jati hai. Isi tarha jab ham ghiza khatey hain to woh maadey mein jama ho jati hai. Phir gallbladder ka function harkat mein aata hai aur us ghiza ko pump ker key hazzam karta hai. Is process mein kuchh teh beth jati hai jo stones ki soorat ikhtiyaar kar leti hai.

Yeh stone almost har insaan key gallblader mein hotey hain. Magar az-khud hall ho ker baqi process ki tarha nikal jatey hain.

Kabhi kabar aisa bhi hota hai keh yeh stone size mein barh jatey hain aur gallbladder sey nikal ker apni nali mein phans jaein to na'qabil-e-bardasht takleef aur azziyat hoti hai. Yeh aksar khaney key baad shuru hoti hai aur aik aadhey ghantey sey ley ker kaii kaii ghantey tak rehti hai.

Aksar gallbladder mein aik sey kaii ziyada stones bhi ho saktey hain.

Gallbladder mein phansa huwa pather nikalney key liyey aaj kal munh key zariyey camera daal ker operation kiya jata hai, jis sey woh pather kheench liya jata hai. Is operation key complecations bhi ho saktey hain.

Agar is operation key bawajood, ya pather key nali sey khud sey nikal janey key bawajood dard ki shikayat rahey to phir gallbladder ko mukamil tor per nikaal diya jata hai!

[saraah]

Re: What are gallstones?

aasan Alfaaz Mein:

Hai!

Allah Khair Kre....
Sir Alot Of Prayers 4 U.........
Alah Aap Ko Mukammal Tou Pe Shifaa Naseeb Kre...aameen....