Gall Bladder Stone And Its Complications!

Although gall bladder stones are normal and easily removable, in a small percentage of people it can become serious with complicated implications. From severe blockage to moving into another part of the digestive system, gall bladder stones can wreak havoc. Here is a brief overview of some of the complicated cases that can arise out of gall bladder stones:

1. Acute cholecystitis: For few people, gall bladder can lead to complete blockage of the bile duct. This leads to accumulation of bile inside the gall bladder resulting in inflammation and infection of the gall bladder. The medical term for this condition is known as acute cholecystitis. Some typical symptoms of this condition include sharp pain the upper abdomen that can travel to shoulder as well. This can be followed by high temperature and rapid heart bit. Studies have shown that one amongst seven people suffering from this condition also tend to suffer from Jaundice.
2. Jaundice: Jaundice occurs due to the complete blockage of the bile duct and accumulation of bile in the gall bladder. Some typical symptoms of jaundice include pale stools, yellowish skin, and eyes, brown urine and itching. Most times, the stone gets away from the bile duct automatically. If, however, it doesn’t happen, it must be removed surgically.
3. Acute cholangitis: When the bile duct gets blocked, it is subjected to bacterial infection. The medical term for this condition is known as acute cholangitis. Some of the symptoms of this condition include pain in the upper abdomen, chills, itchy skin, high temperature, and jaundice. This is followed by a general feeling of un-wellness most of the time.
4. Acute pancreatitis: This is a condition that develops when the gall stone jumps from the gall bladder and obstructs the opening of the pancreas resulting in inflammation of the pancreas. Some of the common symptoms of this condition include a dull pain in the center of the stomach. The pain might become dull and constant. Some other symptoms of this condition include diarrhea, feeling sick, abdomen tenderness, loss of appetite etc.
5. Gall bladder Cancer: This is another complication of gall stone. It is estimated that 3 out of 4 people suffering from gall cancer has a complication of gall stone. In this condition, the gall bladder is removed as a precaution for the cancer-spread. Some of the common symptoms of this condition include high temperature, jaundice, and abdominal pain.
6. Gallstone ileus: This is a rare condition that occurs when the bowel gets obstructed by the gallstone. The latter can do that because of the opening called fistula which helps the stone to float to the bowel and obstructs it for good. A surgical intervention is necessary to treat this condition.

Laproscopy cholecystectomy for cholecystitis ( acute / chronic )

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become the gold standard in the treatment of symptomatic gallstones. The common opinion about treatment of acute cholecystitis is initially conservative treatment due to preventing complications of inflamation and following laparoscopic cholecystectomy after 6- 8 weeks. However with the increase of laparoscopic experience in recent years, early laparoscopic cholecystectomy has become more common.

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