Gallstone disease (cholelithiasis)

Who is at risk?

Influencing factors:

• Age: they are more likely to occur in older people.
• Overweight or obesity.
• Sedentary lifestyle.
• Pregnancy.
• Eating a diet high in fat/cholesterol/fiber.
• Hereditary predisposition: relatives had such a pathology.
• Diabetes.
• History of blood disorders: sickle cell anemia or leukemia.
• Sharp weight loss.
• Taking medications containing estrogen.
• History of liver disease.

Complications caused by gallstones

1. Inflammation of the gallbladder. A gallstone that is stuck in the neck of the gallbladder can cause inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis). Cholecystitis can cause severe pain and fever.
2. Blockage of the common bile duct. Gallstones can block the tubes (ducts) that carry bile from the gallbladder or liver to the small intestine. The result can be severe pain, jaundice, and infection of the bile ducts.
3. Blockage of the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct is a tube that comes from the pancreas and joins the common bile duct before entering the duodenum.
4. A gallstone can cause a blockage in the pancreatic duct, which can lead to inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis). Pancreatitis causes constant abdominal pain and usually requires hospitalization.
5. Gallbladder cancer. People with gallstones are at high risk of developing cancer. But gallbladder cancer is very rare, so although the risk is increased, the chance of gallbladder cancer is very low.

Prevention of gallstone disease

You may be less likely to develop gallstones if:

1. Don't skip meals. Try to stick to your regular meal times every day. Skipping meals or fasting can increase the risk of gallstones.
2. Slow weight loss. If you need to lose weight, do it slowly and carefully. Rapid weight loss can increase the chance of gallstones. Try to lose 1 or 2 pounds (about 0.5 to 1 kilogram) per week.
3. Eat foods rich in fiber. Include more high-fiber foods in your diet, such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
4. Maintain a healthy weight. Obesity and overweight lead to the formation of gallstones. Reduce your calorie intake and increase your physical activity. Once you reach a healthy weight, try to maintain it by eating a healthy diet and continuing to exercise.

Diagnosis of gallstone disease

Held:

• Ultrasound of the abdominal cavity - is most often used to determine the presence of stones.
• Endoultrasound - allows you to identify small stones that are not visible on a conventional ultrasound.
• Additional diagnostics: it is possible for a doctor to prescribe an additional CT scan, cholecystography, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). With ERCP, it is possible to simultaneously remove stones.

Treatment

Most often, the stones do not bother and treatment is not required. The doctor determines the presence of indications for their removal, based on the clinical picture, symptoms, and diagnostic results.

The main method of treatment is cholecystectomy, removal of the gallbladder, since the disease often recurs. After the gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from the liver into the small intestine.

Removing the gallbladder will not significantly affect the ability to digest food.

Drug therapy is long-term; it may take months or years of treatment to dissolve gallstones. Despite the fact that they are likely to form again after taking the drugs. In this regard, drug therapy is indicated only for those who cannot undergo surgery.