However, typically, after the first attack, the chances of a subsequent attack increase dramatically. These subsequent attacks may come frequently or infrequently. Ultimately, no matter what the size of the stone, it is important that symptomatic stones are treated early because they can lead to more serious complications of gallbladder disease.
Patients who have their gallbladder removed electively, tend to have fewer complications and a shorter recovery. Robotic assisted surgery is one of the largest steps forward in modern surgical history and has the potential to have even greater benefits in the future. Hernias are a very common condition, but only a small fraction of those who develop hernias get them repaired.
The bile is stored in the gallbladder and, over time, becomes more concentrated, which makes it better at digesting fats. The gallbladder releases bile into the digestive system when it's needed. Gallstones are thought to develop because of an imbalance in the chemical make-up of bile inside the gallbladder. In most cases the levels of cholesterol in bile become too high and the excess cholesterol forms into stones. Gallstones are very common.
It's estimated more than 1 in every 10 adults in the UK has gallstones, although only a minority of people develop symptoms. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Gallstones Open pop-up dialog box Close. Gallstones Gallstones are hardened deposits of bile that can form in your gallbladder.
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Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Cholelithiasis. Any of these conditions can cause severe pain and other symptoms, including jaundice, high fever, chills, and vomiting. Treatment usually requires hospitalization and often surgical removal of the stone. If you think you're having a gallbladder attack, your clinician will probably order several blood tests and an abdominal ultrasound after you fast for at least eight hours.
Ultrasound is particularly helpful in diagnosing acute cholecystitis because it also picks up any thickening of the gallbladder wall and indicates the presence of fluid, which may suggest inflammation. Other diagnostic techniques include cholescintigraphy, a radioactive injection used to view a possible blockage of the cystic duct; magnetic resonance imaging MRI of the bile ducts; endoscopic ultrasonography, which introduces an ultrasound device through the mouth, esophagus, and stomach to the duodenum the first section of the small intestine to get images of the area; and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, which uses a scope inserted through the mouth to the duodenum to view the biliary ducts.
Typically, gallstones are treated only if they cause symptoms. For recurrent gallbladder attacks, the most effective treatment is surgical removal of the gallbladder, or cholecystectomy. In the past, the standard procedure was surgery requiring a five-inch incision and a hospital stay of up to a week. This approach has largely been replaced by laparoscopic cholecystectomy, in which the gallbladder is removed with instruments inserted through small incisions in the skin.
This procedure requires only an overnight hospital stay and a week of recovery at home. You can easily live without a gallbladder. The liver produces enough bile for normal digestion. When the gallbladder is removed, bile simply flows directly into the small intestine through the common bile duct. When no food is present, loose stools may result, but you can treat that with a bile acid—binding medication, such as cholestyramine Questran. If you can't or don't want to undergo surgery and your gallstones are small, one option is to take ursodiol Actigall, Urso , a naturally occurring bile acid that helps dissolve cholesterol stones when taken by mouth two to four times a day.
It's also used to prevent the formation of gallstones in people who are losing weight quickly. Ursodiol dissolves only those gallstones made of cholesterol, and it may take several months before it has an effect. Drug therapy is occasionally combined with lithotripsy, in which sound waves from outside the body are used to break gallstones into pieces that dissolve more easily or are small enough to safely pass through the bile duct.
Unfortunately, stones are likely to recur after medical treatment. There's no proven way to prevent gallstones, but research suggests some possibilities. Eat three well-balanced meals daily, maintain a normal weight, and get regular exercise at least 30 minutes a day most days of the week.
Several studies have linked moderate alcohol consumption to a lower risk for symptom-causing gallstones. The Nurses' Health Study also found that women with more fiber in their diets and those who ate several 1-ounce servings of nuts per week were less likely to need gallbladder surgery.
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