Dangerous complications of common bile duct stones

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Department of Gastroenterology - Endoscopy, Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.

According to statistics, in Vietnam, there are currently 10-15% of the population suffering from gallstones, of which common bile duct stones account for 70-80%. If not detected and treated definitively, common bile duct stones will lead to many dangerous complications such as infection, gallbladder necrosis, ... directly threatening the patient's life.

Common bile duct stones are a phenomenon in which the ducts that carry bile fluid directly from the liver or gallbladder to the digestive tract to aid in the digestion of fats are blocked by stones formed from calcium or bile pigments, cholesterol salts. host bile, affecting the circulation of bile.
The main cause of formation of common bile duct stones is due to parasitic infection, bacterial infection. Harmful bacteria will damage the wall of the bile duct, causing the cells to become ulcerated and shed into the bile, which precipitates to form stones. In addition, stones can also form due to worms entering the bile duct carrying eggs, when the worms die, the worms in the bile duct will be the nucleus of the stone for bile pigment to deposit and gradually develop into common bile duct stones. .

When the size of common bile duct stones increases, it will block the common bile duct and stagnate bile in the bile ducts in the liver and gallbladder, bile ducts, creating a favorable environment for harmful bacteria to invade and develop. develop strongly, causing infection, inflammation of the biliary tract, which is extremely dangerous for the patient.

This is one of the most dangerous side effects. Acute cholecystitis is a biliary obstruction, secondary bacterial infection of the gallbladder. It can cause gallbladder necrosis, bile leakage and even death if not treated promptly.

Obstruction of the common bile duct due to stones will cause cholestasis in the liver and severely reduce liver function, in particular, it also causes damage to the bile duct wall, affecting blood vessels and leading to bleeding in the bile ducts. secret.

When the common bile duct is blocked, it will cause biliary tract infection, so if the patient has choledocholithiasis, if the patient is not detected early and treated promptly, the infection will become worse. pus, causing the patient a lot of pain, high fever, purulent bile.

Common bile duct stones cause extrahepatic biliary tract infection, when this condition is severe, it will cause biliary tract abscess and pus migrate back to the liver to form liver abscess, this is one of the complications. of very severe common bile duct stones. When experiencing this complication, the patient will have severe pain in the right lower quadrant and large liver.

Biliary peritonitis is a very dangerous complication of common bile duct stones, requiring prompt surgical intervention. This is a condition in which infectious bile fluid enters the abdomen and is localized in the right lower quadrant or spreads throughout the abdomen, causing peritonitis.

Patients will have a very high mortality rate if they experience this complication, so when the patient has signs such as high fever > 39°C, tachycardia >100 beats/min, rapid and shallow breathing, blood pressure low, perceptual disturbances... need immediate emergency.

Hepatorenal syndrome is the most serious infectious complication caused by common bile duct stones. Not only need special treatment and care, but patients with this complication need to use measures to support liver and kidney function, combined with infection treatment.

Common bile duct stone disease and its complications are very unpredictable, so patients need to remember that "prevention is better than cure". As soon as there are symptoms of common bile duct stones, it is necessary to actively examine, combine many methods in treatment, prevent complications by adjusting lifestyle and nutrition. Note to limit the use of tea, coffee and stimulants such as beer, wine, and exercise for 30 minutes a day to limit bile stagnation.
In addition, in order to screen for diseases effectively and safely, patients need to actively undergo periodic health check-ups at high-quality medical facilities.
Patients should see a doctor at Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital when they see suspicious symptoms of common bile duct stones. Vinmec regularly plans to cooperate in technology transfer and exchange of expertise with medical centers in countries with advanced medicine such as Japan, France, USA, Singapore, etc. The earliest medical advances in the world in examination and treatment.
In particular, laparoscopic surgery to remove common bile duct stones with Kehr drainage at the hospital will help patients get rid of the disease gently and quickly recover health, with the following advantages: