Gallbladder stones are pieces of solid materials that form in our gallbladder. Gallstones can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. They can cause a blockage in the pancreatic duct, resulting in severe pain. If left untreated, gallstones can lead to severe health complications like inflammation of the gallbladder, infection, blockage of the bile ducts, and even gallbladder cancer.
Around 10-15% of the adult population suffers from gallstones. However, the condition is treatable and the surgical treatment has a success rate of 98%.
What Are Types Of Gallbladder Stones?
There are three main types of gallbladder stones.
- Cholesterol Stones: Excess cholesterol in the bile can gradually granulize into cholesterol stones. 80% of all gallstones are cholesterol stones. They are yellow in color.
- Bilirubin Stones: These stones form due to excessive bilirubin (a substance created during the breakdown of RBCs). They are darker in color and are more common in people with cirrhosis and biliary tract infections. They are also known as brown stones.
What Causes Gallbladder Stones?
While there is usually no definite reason as to why gallstones form, there are a few factors that might increase the risk of developing this condition. These are:
- Genetic predisposition or family history
- Having high cholesterol
- Rapid weight loss
- Being obese
- A high-fat diet
- Having a pre-existing medical condition like diabetes, cirrhosis, Crohn’s disease, etc.
How Does It Feel To Have Gallbladder Stones?
Often, these stones do not cause symptoms. They sit inside your gallbladder silently. You are only likely to feel their presence when they obstruct your bile duct and by then, they have already started to make serious impacts on your health. So, watch out for the following symptoms:
- Pain in upper belly
- Pain in right shoulder or back
- Nausea or vomiting
- Upset stomach
- Other digestive problems like indigestion, heartburn, gas, etc.
- Fever
- Yellowing eyes or skin (jaundice)
- Appetite loss
- Light gray or clay color stools
- Dark colored urine
How Are Gallbladder Stones Treated?
Before recommending any treatment, the surgeon will perform blood tests, ultrasounds, CT scans, and endoscopy to determine the number of stones present and their sizes and locations. This helps him devise a customized treatment plan for each patient. There are 4 types of treatments available for these stones.
Medication: Medicines can help breakdown and dissolve the stones. This treatment is most successful when the stones are very small.
Extracorporeal Shock Wave Lithotripsy (ESWL): This is a non-surgical treatment that uses shock waves to break up stones into small pieces that can pass out of the body more easily.
Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): This is a procedure that uses an endoscope to remove stones from the bile ducts.
Surgery: If you have symptomatic stones or if the stones are large, surgery may be recommended to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy). The best way to approach this surgery is laparoscopically. The recovery time is somewhere between 7-10 days where you will get medicines to manage any pain or prevent infections. While you can resume your regular diet and lifestyle after a week, you will be advised to refrain from strenuous activities for a few more weeks.
