Gall Bladder Stones: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

How Common are Gallbladder Stones?

Around 10% of adults and 20% of people over the age of 65 experience gallbladder stones, which are frequent in developed nations. Only 20% of those who have gallbladder stones will require treatment.

Gallbladder stones occur more frequently in:

• Females who are above 40 years

• People who are obese

• People who have a family history of gallbladder stones

Cause

Gallbladder stones develop due to several causes. Excess cholesterol is seen in up to 75% of gallbladder stones that are diagnosed by medical professionals. Thus, the main cause of gallbladder stones could be attributed to having too much cholesterol in the blood. For a number of reasons, one might have too much cholesterol. Metabolic illnesses like obesity and diabetes are some of the most widespread causes.

An increase in blood cholesterol causes an increase in bile cholesterol. Prior to the bile reaching the gallbladder, our liver filters cholesterol from the blood and adds it to the bile as a waste product. Cholesterol should dissolve when exposed to the chemicals in the bile (lecithin and bile salts). These compounds might not be effective if they are present in excess amounts.
 

Risk Factors

There are some factors that may increase the chance of developing gallbladder stones, such as:

• Bone marrow or organ transplant

• Diabetes

• Failure of the gallbladder to appropriately empty bile (this is more likely to happen during pregnancy)

• Liver cirrhosis and biliary tract infections (pigmented stones)

• Medical disorders that result in an excessive loss of red blood cells

• Rapid weight loss with weight loss surgery or an extremely low-calorie diet

• Long-term nourishment through a vein (intravenous feedings)

• Taking birth control pills

Signs and Symptoms

Gallbladder stones can affect many people without any obvious symptoms. These are frequently discovered during an unannounced USG, abdominal surgery, or other medical procedure.

Pain that appears suddenly and soon gets worse is the main symptom of gallbladder stones. The right side of the body may experience this discomfort in the right shoulder, between the right shoulder blades, or immediately below the right ribcage. Biliary colic is the term used to describe this. If the stone moves into the first section of the small intestine, the pain disappears.

The other symptoms that may occur include:

• Nausea and vomiting

• Sweating

• Restlessness

• Fevers and chills

• Yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes (jaundice)

• Clay-colored stools

• Dark-colored urine

• Sunken eyes

• Digestive problems such as indigestion, heartburn, and gastric issues

 More reads: Understanding and Managing Digestive Health 

Treatment

Most of the time, unless gallbladder stones are painful, people will not need treatment. Gallbladder stones can occasionally travel through the system undetected. Surgery is probably something the doctor will advise if the individual is in pain. Medication may be used on occasion.

There are a few non-surgical options recommended by healthcare professionals if the individual is at a high risk of surgical problems. Even with extra treatment, the gallbladder stones could recur if surgery is skipped. This implies that monitoring the condition may be necessary for the majority of their lives.

• Surgery: Cholecystectomy, the most common surgery for gallbladder stones, is performed among adults for the removal of the gallbladder. The gallbladder is not considered to be an important organ, so one can live a healthy life without it. There are two types of cholecystectomy in total: 

  • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: General anaesthesia is necessary for this frequent procedure. The abdomen will often have three to four small incisions made by the surgeon. The gallbladder will then be carefully removed after a small, illuminated instrument is inserted into one of the incisions to check for stones. If there are no issues, one can typically return home the same day as the treatment or the day after.

  • Open cholecystectomy: The surgery of the gallbladder is often performed when it is swollen, diseased, or scarred. This procedure may also be performed if complications arise during a laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Following gallbladder removal, one can suffer from watery or loose stools. Redirecting bile from the liver to the small intestine is a necessary step in the removal of the gallbladder. Bile becomes less concentrated since it no longer passes through the gallbladder. The first impact is a laxative one that may induce diarrhoea, but for the majority of people, this problem should go away on its own.

More Reads: Gut Health And Its Impact On Overall Well-Being

• Non-surgical treatments: There are a few alternative methods doctors can try to remove the gallbladder stones if surgery cannot be done, in case the patient is very old. 

  • Oral dissolution therapy: Ursodiol (Actigall) and chenodiol (Chenix) are commonly used in oral dissolving therapy to dissolve gallbladder stones. Bile acids, which are present in these drugs, help to dissolve the stones. It may take months or years for this medication to fully take effect, and it works best for breaking up cholesterol stones.

  • Shock wave lithotripsy: It is another major option in non-surgical treatment. A lithotripter is a device that produces shock waves that travel through a person. Gallbladder stones can be fragmented into tiny bits by these shock waves.

  • Percutaneous drainage of the gallbladder: A sterile needle is inserted into the gallbladder during this procedure to pull out the bile. The next step involves inserting a tube to aid in further drainage. This surgery is usually a last resort and is more frequently an option for patients who may not be candidates for other surgeries.

Schedule a consultation with a General Surgeon in Vijayawada today.