Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
Gallbladder diseases are diseases involving the gallbladder and is closely linked to biliary disease, with the most common cause being gallstones (cholelithiasis). [1] [2]The gallbladder is designed to aid in the digestion of fats by concentrating and storing the bile made in the liver and transferring it through the biliary tract to the digestive system through bile ducts that connect the ...
[27] Removal of the gallbladder with surgery, known as a cholecystectomy, is the definitive surgical treatment for biliary colic. [28] A 2013 Cochrane review found tentative evidence to suggest that early gallbladder removal may be better than delayed removal. [29] Early laparoscopic cholecystectomy happens within 72 hours of diagnosis. [13]
Abdominal ultrasound can be used to diagnose abnormalities in various internal organs, such as the kidneys, [1] liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen and abdominal aorta.If Doppler ultrasonography is added, the blood flow inside blood vessels can be evaluated as well (for example, to look for renal artery stenosis).
The gallbladder has a capacity of about 50 millilitres (1.8 imperial fluid ounces). [2] The gallbladder is shaped like a pear, with its tip opening into the cystic duct. [4] The gallbladder is divided into three sections: the fundus, body, and neck. The fundus is the rounded base, angled so that it faces the abdominal wall.
Complications may be detected using blood tests. [2] The risk of gallstones may be decreased by maintaining a healthy weight with exercise and a healthy diet. [2] If there are no symptoms, treatment is usually not needed. [2] In those who are having gallbladder attacks, surgery to remove the gallbladder is typically recommended. [2]
Cholecystitis causes the gallbladder to become distended and firm. Distension can lead to decreased blood flow to the gallbladder, causing tissue death and eventually gangrene. [13] Once tissue has died, the gallbladder is at greatly increased risk of rupture (perforation), which can cause sharp pain.
Sometimes gallstones may get stuck in the cystic duct, which serves as a bridge between the gallbladder and the common bile duct, and can lead to inflammation in the wall of the gallbladder. [11] This inflammation of the gallbladder is known as cholecystitis and is a common indication for surgical removal of the gallbladder, or cholecystectomy .
Exceptions to Courvoisier's law imply that a stone is responsible for jaundice and a non-tender, palpable gall bladder. Typically gall bladder stones form slowly which allow time for the gall bladder to become tender. The exceptions to the law are stones that dislodge and acutely block the duct distally to the hepatic/cystic duct junction: