Gallstones
Gallstone Ultrasound
One morning after a night of greasy food and a movie, my husband woke up with
excruciating abdominal pain. At first he thought it was indigestion and took
some antacids, which did not seem to help, but later in the evening the pain had
increased and he decided it was time to go to the emergency room. At this time I
knew it was something a lot more serious because this is a man who does not like
doctors. After numerous tests including an EKG, bloodwork and an ultrasound, it was discovered he had gallstones.
excruciating abdominal pain. At first he thought it was indigestion and took
some antacids, which did not seem to help, but later in the evening the pain had
increased and he decided it was time to go to the emergency room. At this time I
knew it was something a lot more serious because this is a man who does not like
doctors. After numerous tests including an EKG, bloodwork and an ultrasound, it was discovered he had gallstones.
What are gallstones?
Gallstones are small, pebble-like substances that develop in the gallbladder. The gallbladder contains a liquid made in the liver called bile which helps digest fats.
Gallstones form when bile stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of
stone-like material. Bile is released through the bile duct and carried to the
small intestine, where it aids with digestion.
Bile contains water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. If the liquid bile contains too much cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin, it can harden into gallstones. It can form cholesterol stones which are the most common, and are made from hardened cholesterol, or pigment stones which are small and made from bilirubin.
Gallstones can block the normal flow of bile if they move from the gallbladder and lodge in the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine and cause inflammation in the gallbladder. This can be very painful and dangerous, and can cause severe damage to the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.
Gallstones form when bile stored in the gallbladder hardens into pieces of
stone-like material. Bile is released through the bile duct and carried to the
small intestine, where it aids with digestion.
Bile contains water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. If the liquid bile contains too much cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin, it can harden into gallstones. It can form cholesterol stones which are the most common, and are made from hardened cholesterol, or pigment stones which are small and made from bilirubin.
Gallstones can block the normal flow of bile if they move from the gallbladder and lodge in the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the small intestine and cause inflammation in the gallbladder. This can be very painful and dangerous, and can cause severe damage to the liver, gallbladder or pancreas.
How are gallstones treated? Since the gallbladder is considered a nonessential organ, doctors will likely recommend you have your gallbladder removed using a procedure called cholecystectomy, which was recommended for my husband.
The procedure involves making several tiny incisions in the abdomen and inserting a laparoscope and a miniature video camera which gives the surgeon a close-up view of the organs and tissues. See the procedure in this Youtube Video |
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After Surgery
The liver produces enough bile to digest a normal diet. Once the gallbladder is removed, bile flows out of the liver through the hepatic ducts into the common bile duct and directly into the small intestine, instead of being stored in the gallbladder. Because now the bile flows into the small intestine more often, softer and more frequent stools can occur. He also does not tolerate fatty foods and spicy foods too well. These symptoms are temporary and rare. In his opinion, these symptoms are the lesser evil compared to the pain and the severe risks of the alternative of not having surgery.