Know About Gall-bladder Introduction

Gall-bladder is a small organ lies just below liver on right upper abdomen. Gall-bladder stores bile (juice formed by liver) and help in digestion of fatty meals. Development of stones in gall-bladder indicates malfunction of gallbladder and surgical removal of gall-bladder is easily tolerated by the body. Type of Gall-stones: There are 3 types of gall-stones.

1. Cholesterol gallstones develop when bile contains too much cholesterol and not enough bile salts. is! factors for cholesterol stones are obesity" women ta!ing estrogen either as family planning pill or for peri-menopausal hormonal supplement" diabetic person and those losing weight rapidly. #ealthy lifestyle may minimi$e the development of cholesterol gall-stones. %. &igmented stone are made up of bilirubin and ris! factors for pigment stones includes hemolytic anemias (such as sic!le-cell disease and hereditary spherocytosis)" cirrhosis ('iver failure)" and biliary tract infections. (. )i*ed stones" is the most common type seen in +ndian-,sian population. -hey are composed of both cholesterol and salts.

Risk factor .actors that may increase your ris! of gallstones include/ 1. 0omen between %1 and 21 years of age are twice as li!ely to develop gallstones as men. %. ,ge/ more common in the (13s 4 513s. (. 6besity 5. 7*cess estrogen (women on oral contraceptive pills etc. 8. Diabetes 2. &regnancy 9. apid weight loss

:. &rolonged fasting ;. #ereditary blood disorders. y!pto!s 1. <iliary Colic/ Gallstones may remains asymptomatic or may lead to =gallstone attac!= (<iliary colic)/ an unforgettable intense pain in the upper-right side of the abdomen" often accompanied by nausea and vomiting" that steadily increases for appro*imately (1 minutes to several hours. 6ften" attac!s occur after a particularly fatty meal. %. 6ther symptoms include abdominal bloating" intolerance of fatty foods" belching" gas" and indigestion. "iagnosis >ltrasound is the most useful test to identify gallstones. ?ometime ) C& @ 7 C& may be reAuired to loo! for presence of stones in common-bile duct (C<D). outine blood test (C<C) ,BD 'iver function test ('.-) are done to loo! for any infection @ jaundice. #o!plications

#o!plications ,cute Cholecystitis (+nflammation of the gallbladder). , gallstone that becomes lodged in the nec! of the gallbladder can cause inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis). +n some case this may lead to pus formation in gall-bladder" leading to severe pain and fever that reAuire hospitalisation and treatment. $aundice % #holangitis &'lockage of the co!!on bile duct % (e)er*. Gallstones can bloc! the tubes (ducts) through which bile flows from your gallbladder or liver to your small intestine. Caundice and bile duct infection (Cholangitis) can result. Acute +ancreatitis &'lockage of the pancreatic duct*. -he pancreatic duct is a tube that runs from the pancreas to the common bile duct. &ancreatic juices" which aid in digestion" flow through the pancreatic duct. , gallstone can cause a bloc!age in the pancreatic duct" which can lead to inflammation of the pancreas (&ancreatitis). &ancreatitis causes intense" constant abdominal pain and usually reAuires hospitali$ation. Gallbladder cancer. &eople with a history of gallstones have an increased ris! of gallbladder cancer. <ut gallbladder cancer is very rare" so even though the ris! of cancer is elevated" the li!elihood of gallbladder cancer is still very small. Treat!ent Asy!pto!atic Gall-stones:

1. ,symptomatic gall-stones are usually observed. 6nly high ris! asymptomatic patients (those having more probability to develop gallstone related complications) are advised for surgery. -he #igh ris! asymptomatic patients are diabetic" person on chemotherapy 4 immunocompromised person (#+D). y!pto!atic Gall-stones: 1. ?urgery/ ?ymptomatic patients should consult to medical e*pert for surgery. 'aparoscopic (Eey hole) gall-bladder surgery is a worldwide accepted treatment. %. ?tone dissolving therapy in ineffective for mi*ed and pigmented gallstones and has inconsistent result for cholesterol stones. +nability to identify stone composition and high prevalence of mi*ed stones" limits the use of Fstone dissolving therapyG in +ndian-,sian population. Disit for )ore about "r A)inash Tank