Learn about gallstones

The article was written by Senior Doctor, Specialist II Tran Khac Dien - General Doctor - Department of Examination - Vinmec Times City International Hospital

Gallstones range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Some people develop only one gallstone, while others develop multiple gallstones at once. Gallstones that do not cause any signs and symptoms usually do not require treatment.

Gallstone is a condition in which small stones appear in the biliary tract, causing clinical manifestations of biliary obstruction. The disease often presents acutely and requires prompt treatment, otherwise it can cause many life-threatening complications such as peritonitis, septic shock.

Currently, there are many theories about the cause of gallstones but not really clear, can divide the common causes of gallstones in the following groups:
Infections, parasites parasites: Intestinal helminths in the process of development can stray into the bile ducts, their carcasses or eggs can become nuclei, creating conditions for the development of stones. Imbalance of components in bile: Usually occurs when you have liver diseases or provide too much cholesterol in your daily diet. Bile is produced by the liver and contains bile acids and lecithin in sufficient quantities to dissolve cholesterol. In diseases that make your liver do not work well such as cirrhosis, hepatitis, ... create too much cholesterol or vice versa too little lecithin and bile acids, then the cholesterol will not be dissolved completely and gradually over time. agglomerate into gravel. In addition, eating habits with too much cholesterol can also be a risk factor for gallstone formation. Sedentary: Sometimes sedentary causes the activity of the bile ducts to stagnate, creating conditions for bile to accumulate and cause stones.

The typical clinical manifestations of gallstones include the following:
Pain in the right upper quadrant Fever accompanied by yellowing of the eyes, yellowing of the skin, these are the most common manifestations of gallstones, in addition, patients may experience the following symptoms: Other symptoms such as fatigue, poor appetite, digestive disorders. Severely complicated patients may experience life-threatening shock and require prompt emergency management.

The diagnosis of gallstones is mainly based on the clinical symptoms oriented and confirmed based on imaging studies such as ultrasound, abdominal computed tomography showing the image of stones in the patient's biliary tract.
Treatment of mild biliary tract stones mainly uses medical methods, focusing on changing the diet to reduce fat, increasing daily physical activities in combination with the use of drugs to make bile, enhance the elimination of stones. out of the body. For patients with recurrent gallstones or severe cholestatic conditions, septic shock, gallstone peritonitis, surgical treatment is mandatory.
Currently, Vinmec has many interventions for cases of gallstones that need intervention such as:
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: A surgery to remove the gallbladder through laparoscopic methods, performing performed through many small incisions (2-3 incisions) instead of the traditional open surgery method. With this method, the patient will recover faster, with less bleeding, a lower risk of infection and more aesthetic. Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is an endoscopic technique of duodenum under X-ray light to diagnose and treat a number of diseases of the biliary tract and pancreas. The technique is conducted to insert a catheter into the biliary or pancreatic duct through a duodenoscope, through which contrast is injected into the biliary or pancreatic duct for the purpose of diagnosing and treating pathologies of the biliary tract and pancreas. For patients with common bile duct stones, stones will be removed by this method; This is a less invasive method, less impact on the patient's body, fewer complications, short hospital stay, fast recovery.
Vinmec International General Hospital is one of the hospitals that not only ensures professional quality with a team of doctors, modern equipment and technology. The hospital provides comprehensive, professional medical examination, consultation and treatment services, with a civilized, polite, safe and sterile medical examination and treatment space.