Bile is a complex structure made in the liver and contains water, bilirubin, cholesterol and bile salts. Bile exits the liver via the biliary tract and is stored for concentration in the gallbladder. It contributes to digestion by pouring into the small intestine through the bile duct.
Gallstones (cholelithiasis) are crystal structures formed by the growth or fusion of normal or abnormal bile components. This situation, which is common in society, is a very important health problem. Stones are divided into two groups as cholesterol and pigment stones. The most common are cholesterol stones. Looking at the formation mechanism, stone formation begins when there is a high cholesterol and low bile salt ratio in the bile composition. While these are composed of cholesterol, pigment stones are composed of bilirubin and calcium salts in bile and are dark in color. Pigment stones are especially seen in cirrhosis, biliary tract inflammation, and some types of anemia. Stones from the mixture of both groups (mixed) form other types of stones. Hereditary factors, pregnancy, body weight (obesity), gallbladder movement (stagnant bile), and possibly diet have been shown to cause gallstones. Gallstones can be of various sizes and shapes.
Gallbladder stones are seen at a rate of 15% in the society. While a significant part of them may be 'silent', some of them create complications. Silent stones do not need treatment. Bladder stone does not cause gas. Biliary pain attacks occur as a result of the stone blocking the gallbladder duct. This pain ranges from half an hour to several hours. It begins especially after a heavy, fatty meal and is felt in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. Sometimes this pain is reflected in the right shoulder, between the two shoulder blades. When the duration of pain exceeds 4-6 hours, the picture is now 'gallbladder inflammation'. This is called 'acute cholecystitis'. It is accompanied by pain, fever, nausea, bloating, belching, and vomiting. Gallstones sometimes fall into the common bile duct and block this duct, causing jaundice, inflammation of the duct (cholangitis). Pancreatic inflammation called 'acute pancreatitis', which can have an extremely serious course due to pancreatic duct obstruction, may occur. Laboratory data in diagnosis Advanced and imaging methods such as ultrasonography and MRI are important.
The treatment of gallstones is only decided if a stone-related complication (problem) develops. These include acute cholecystitis, acute pancreatitis, cholangitis, biliary pain. Drug treatments are given during the active infection phase. After a certain period of time, the gallbladder is removed with a closed surgical method (cholecystectomy).
People who have intermittent pain in the upper right region of the abdomen, in addition to indigestion, burping, fever, yellowing, bloating and vomiting attacks should remember the possibility of gallstones and should apply to the gastroenterology clinic without wasting time.
Read: 0
