Gallstones in the liver - What you need to know

“Hi doctor, I am 35 years old and a long distance driver. That's why I often don't have much time to exercise due to sitting in the car for a long time and having to eat and drink at the roadside. Recently, I have been experiencing severe abdominal pain and jaundice. So the doctor asked me if it was gallstone disease in the liver? Thank you doctor.” - Sy Hung, Hanoi
Your question has been forwarded to the Doctor of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy - Department of Medical Examination and Internal Medicine, Vinmec Ha Long International General Hospital.

First of all, in liver diseases, gallstones in the liver are considered a dangerous disease that causes many unpredictable complications to patients' health. Everyone needs to equip themselves with knowledge about this liver disease for the best prevention and treatment.

Gallstones in the liver are also known as liver stones. These are stones (Small, large or muddy) that are abundant in the right hepatic duct, left hepatic duct, in the gallbladder and Asians have the highest number of cases in the world. About 90% of cholangitis is caused by stones.

The liver is an important body organ with the function of producing bile to digest fats, detoxify and remove waste products from the body. Therefore, when stones appear, it will make the liver meet dangerous complications such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver cancer, liver abscess,...

Gallstones or liver stones are usually located in the bile ducts in the liver, there are two main types of stones: cholesterol stones and bile pigment stones. Common in Vietnam are pigment stones with bilirubin as the main component.
The cause of gallstones in the liver is due to intestinal parasites entering the bile ducts, along with bacteria, causing bilirubin to not dissolve completely, thereby combining with eggs and worms in the liver to form stones. .

In addition, gallstone disease in the liver is also caused by a number of causes such as liver dysfunction, cirrhosis, drug-induced hepatitis, viral hepatitis, hepatitis B... disorders. Obese, inactive people can also experience this disease due to reduced biliary tract movement.

Gallstones in the liver are easier to recognize symptoms. In the early stages, the stones are small, so you only have bloating, slow digestion of food. When the stone grows and compresses in the liver, the patient may have 3 typical signs as follows:
Abdominal pain, liver colic, HSP pain, liver colic. Occurs after a fatty meal, or pain at night (At 22-24 hours). When pain is accompanied by vomiting, do not dare to breathe hard. The pain lasts a few hours to a few days. Fever: due to inflammation of the biliary tract, gallbladder), if no inflammation, no fever, if fever is normal: Sudden high fever lasting a few hours. Fever and HSP pain go hand in hand. Fever usually occurs after the pain (sometimes with or before). Sometimes the fever lasts for several weeks or months. Sometimes mild fever 37.5 - 38 degrees Jaundice: When bile fluid accumulates in the liver, the yellow bilirubin will affect the blood, causing the patient to become jaundiced. Jaundice of the skin and mucous membranes occurs 1-2 days after pain and fever. Obstructive jaundice (yellow skin, mucous membranes, yellow urine, discolored stools). Jaundice with itching, ineffective antipruritic drugs, slow pulse. Jaundice goes away more slowly than pain and fever.

Gallstones in the liver will cause dangerous complications for the liver that are much more harmful to the body than stones appearing in other locations in the body. Common complications of the disease are:
Cirrhosis: when the liver is infected, the damage to the liver tissue recovers slowly, leading to cirrhosis and impaired liver function. Hepatitis: Long-term stagnation of bile causes bacteria to attack the liver, creating pus-filled foci, leading to liver abscesses and hepatitis. Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma: The incidence of the disease is not much, but this is the most dangerous complication, the cancer is often detected very late, so it is difficult to cure. Blood infection: Serious complications, if not handled quickly, will lead to loss of life. Gallstones in the liver are quite dangerous liver disease. Getting information will help people prevent and detect diseases quickly. Many cases are completely cured
In case you need a private consultation, please contact the Vinmec International General Hospital clinic for specific answers.