Gallstones are pieces of stone-like material that form in the gallbladder. The majority of gallstones are made up of cholesterol. The rest are made up of bilirubin. Bilirubin is a breakdown pigment of the blood product hemoglobin.
Biliary colic is the pain caused by a gallstone stuck in the bile duct, a tube that carries bile to the small intestine. Sometimes, a stone caught in the bile duct causes cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Cholangitis is inflammation of the bile duct caused by a gallstone or a bacterial infection.
The gallbladder stores bile. This fluid is produced in the liver and used in the small intestine to digest fat. Bile contains cholesterol, water, bilirubin, and bile salts.
Gallstones can form under the following conditions:
These factors increase your chance of developing gallstones. Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors:
Many people have gallstones without symptoms, called "silent gallstones." In some cases, these are treated.
Gallstones may cause pain in the upper abdomen. This is sometimes called an attack because it begins suddenly, often after a fatty meal. The pain is severe and may last for 30 minutes or several hours.
Other symptoms include:
If you have the following symptoms, see your doctor right away:
The doctor will ask about your symptoms and medical history, and perform a physical exam.
Tests may include:
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the removal of the gallbladder through several small incisions in the abdomen. To view the gallbladder, a small, lighted tube with a camera is inserted into one of the incisions. Surgical instruments are used to remove the gallbladder through one of the other incisions.
Open cholecystectomy is the removal of the gallbladder through a large incision in the abdomen. This is necessary if there is an infection in the abdomen or a great deal of scar tissue.
Your doctor may give you medication to dissolve small stones. It may take months or years for the medication to dissolve all of the stones.
If you are diagnosed with gallstones, follow your doctor's instructions .
To reduce your chance of getting gallstones:
RESOURCES:
American Liver Foundation
http://www.liverfoundation.org/
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse
http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/
CANADIAN RESOURCES:
Canadian Liver Foundation
http://www.liver.ca/Home.aspx/
Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/index_e.html/
References:
Gallstone. EBSCO DynaMed website. Available at: http://www.ebscohost.com/dynamed/what.php . Updated April 2008. Accessed June 23, 2008.
Gallstones. Family Doctor.org website. Available at: http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/common/digestive/disorders/555.html . Updated September 2008. Accessed June 21, 2009
Gallstones. National Institute of Diabetes & Digestive & Kidney Diseases website. Available at: http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/#6 . Updated July 2007. Accessed June 23, 2008.
Last reviewed September 2009 by Marcin Chwistek, MD
Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.
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