About 20% of the population in the UK has gallstones. They are often diagnosed via an ultrasound scan (non-invasive jelly scan of the abdomen). Sometimes your specialist may decide to arrange an MRI scan to take a better look at the gallbladder and the duct network it is attached to.
Gallstones are either cholesterol or mixed stones. They come in a variety of shapes and sizes. There are several causes for gallstone formation, the most common causes include change in oestrogen levels in women, pregnancy, a fat rich diet and rapid weight loss. The number and size of stones is not particularly relevant however it is recommended to seek medical help if they cause symptoms.
Only 20% of people who have gallstones will ever develop symptoms. Common symptoms include pain in the right side of the abdomen right under the rib cage going into the back and sometimes the right shoulder or between the shoulder blades, bloating or a tight band around the upper part of the abdomen. The symptoms often occur 1-2 hours after eating and are typically brought on by foods rich in fat, such as cheese, cream, red meat or fry ups.
If left untreated, symptomatic gallstones can cause complications. Complications of gallstones include inflammation and infection of the gallbladder, jaundice due to blockage of the bile duct if a stone passes from the gallbladder into the bile duct and acute pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas gland). The above complications can vary from being mild to life threatening and should not be ignored. Once gallstones start to cause symptoms, the chance of developing further symptoms increases incrementally every year.
Gallstones can also increase the risk of gallbladder cancer through repeated inflammation and scarring of the gallbladder itself.
Treatment is recommended for anyone who has developed symptoms from gallstones. The gold standard and NICE recommended treatment for symptomatic gallstones is keyhole surgery to remove the gallbladder (laparoscopic cholecystectomy). It is the only effective recognised definitive treatment for gallstones. If the specialist suspects you have stones in the bile duct or if you have jaundice, they may arrange an MRI scan before surgery or refer you to an ERCP specialist to clear the bile duct before surgery. Sometimes the bile duct can be cleared at the same time as the surgery, but this is uncommon.
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is one of the most commonly performed operations in General and Upper GI surgery. It can in most instances be done as a day case operation. Most people return to work within 14 days.
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