Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
The proportion of people with gallstones who experience symptoms as a result of them. [11] Gallstones, regardless of size or number, are often asymptomatic. [12] These "silent stones" do not require treatment and can remain asymptomatic even years after they form.
Common bile duct stone, also known as choledocholithiasis, is the presence of gallstones in the common bile duct (CBD) (thus choledocho-+ lithiasis). This condition can cause jaundice and liver cell damage. Treatments include choledocholithotomy and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP).
Jaundice is commonly caused by conditions such as pancreatic cancer, which causes blockage of the bile duct passing through the cancerous portion of the pancreas; cholangiocarcinoma, cancer of the bile ducts; blockage by a stone in patients with gallstones; and from scarring after injury to the bile duct during gallbladder removal.
For premium support please call: 800-290-4726 more ways to reach us
Gallstones are thought to be linked to the formation of cancer. Other risk factors include large (>1 cm) gallbladder polyps and having a highly calcified "porcelain" gallbladder. [21] Cancer of the gallbladder can cause attacks of biliary pain, yellowing of the skin , and weight loss. A large gallbladder may be able to be felt in the abdomen.
Gallstones can get trapped in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly at the connection between the small and large intestines (ileocecal valve). When a gallstone gets trapped, it can lead to an intestinal obstruction , called gallstone ileus , leading to abdominal pain, vomiting, constipation , and abdominal distension .
Both can occur if gallstones leave the gallbladder, pass through the cystic duct, and get stuck in the common bile duct. The common bile duct drains the liver and pancreas, and a blockage there can lead to inflammation and infection in both the pancreas and biliary system.
In the developed world, 10 to 15% of adults have gallstones. [3] Of those with gallstones, biliary colic occurs in 1 to 4% each year. [3] Nearly 30% of people have further problems related to gallstones in the year following an attack. [3] About 15% of people with biliary colic eventually develop inflammation of the gallbladder if not treated. [3]