| | | | | evaluated. Ultrasonography is the most important |
| Gallstones are solid lumps or stones that form in the | | | | means of diagnosing gallstones. Standard |
| gallbladder or bile duct. They are formed when some | | | | computerized tomography (CT or CAT scan) and |
| of the chemicals stored in the gallbladder harden into a | | | | magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may occasionally |
| mass. | | | | demonstrate gallstones, however, they are poor for |
| About one in three women and one in five men have | | | | doing so compared with ultrasonography. |
| gallstones by the age of 75. Some people get just one | | | | Treatments and drugs |
| large stone; others may have lots of tiny ones. | | | | Laparoscopic surgery. Most often gallbladder surgery |
| What causes gallstones? | | | | is performed using a laparoscope, a pencil-thin tube |
| Scientists believe cholesterol stones form when bile | | | | with its own lighting system and miniature video |
| contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not | | | | camera. A surgeon inserts the laparoscope into your |
| enough bile salts, or when the gallbladder does not | | | | abdomen through a hollow instrument (cannula). Only |
| empty completely or often enough. The reason these | | | | small incisions are required. The video camera then |
| imbalances occur is not known. | | | | produces a magnified view on a television monitor of |
| The cause of pigment stones is not fully understood. | | | | the inside of your abdomen. This allows the surgeon to |
| The stones tend to develop in people who have liver | | | | see the surgery in detail. |
| cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or hereditary blood | | | | Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a recent technique |
| disorders—such as sickle cell anemia—in which the | | | | which was introduced in the United States in 1988. The |
| liver makes too much bilirubin. | | | | surgeon makes several incisions in the abdomen |
| Complete or partial blockage can also cause your | | | | through which a tiny video camera and surgical |
| gallbladder to get irritated and inflamed. If this happens, | | | | instruments are passed. The video picture is viewed in |
| you will usually have pain for more than 3 hours. You | | | | the operating room on a TV screen, and the |
| may also get a fever. Your skin may turn a yellowish | | | | gallbladder can be removed by manipulating the |
| color, known as jaundice (say "john-diss"). | | | | surgical instruments. Because the abdominal muscles |
| Gallstones Symptoms | | | | are not cut there is less postoperative pain, quicker |
| Gall stones usually remain asymptomatic initially.[4] | | | | healing, and better cosmetic results. The patient can |
| They start developing symptoms once the stones | | | | usually go home from the hospital within a day and |
| reach a certain size (>8mm).[5] A main symptom of | | | | resume normal activities within a few days. |
| gallstones is commonly referred to as a gallstone | | | | Medication |
| "attack", also known as biliary colic, in which a person | | | | In people with a functioning gallbladder, bile salts taken |
| will experience intense pain in the upper abdominal | | | | by mouth may dissolve gallstones. However, the |
| region that steadily increases for approximately thirty | | | | process may take 2 years or longer, and stones may |
| minutes to several hours. | | | | return after treatment ends. |
| When gallstones keep blocking a bile duct, you may | | | | Medicines called chenodeoxycholic acids (CDCA) or |
| have pain with fever and chills, or your skin or the | | | | ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA, ursodiol) may be given to |
| whites of your eyes may turn yellow. Call your doctor | | | | dissolve the stones. Both CDCA and UDCA are useful |
| right away. Having stones in your bile duct increases | | | | only for gallstones formed from cholesterol. |
| your chance of having a swollen pancreas | | | | Laparoscopic surgery. Most often gallbladder surgery |
| (pancreatitis). These symptoms may also be a sign of | | | | is performed using a laparoscope, a pencil-thin tube |
| an infected gallbladder. | | | | with its own lighting system and miniature video |
| How are gallstones diagnosed? | | | | camera. A surgeon inserts the laparoscope into your |
| Gallstones are diagnosed in one of two situations. The | | | | abdomen through a hollow instrument (cannula). Only |
| first is when there are symptoms or signs that suggest | | | | small incisions are required. The video camera then |
| gallstones, and the diagnosis of gallstones is being | | | | produces a magnified view on a television monitor of |
| pursued. The second is coincidentally while a | | | | the inside of your abdomen. This allows the surgeon to |
| non-gallstone-related medical problem is being | | | | see the surgery in detail. |