Gallstones - Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
The gall bladder is a small bag, roughly the shape and size of a pear that sits underneath the liver, on the right side of the abdomen. Its main purpose is to store and concentrate bile produced by the liver. Bile is released from the gallbladder after eating, aiding digestion. Bile travels through common bile ducts (CBD) into the small intestine.
Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder. These stones develop because cholesterol and pigments in bile sometimes form hard particles.
Stones in the gall bladder (Cholelithiasis) are quite common in adults, with the prevalence in India being 3 -5%. While gallstones most commonly occur in people above 40 years of age; children are increasingly being affected.
The incidence of gall stones is seen in 2% of the children population. The prevalence is high among obese children (5%). If not treated at the right time, gallstones can cause severe complications such as:-
Recurrent severe abdominal pain or vomiting.
Acute pancreatitis (swelling of the pancreas) can have a catastrophic sequel to multi-organ failure and other serious complications. It may be fatal if severe.
Cholangitis (life-threatening infection of the biliary system).
Pus formation in the gallbladder (Empyema).
Associated with Cancer of the gallbladder in the long term.
Join Pazcare along with Dr Nayar Sajeet Gopinathan on 7th January 2022 as we would be talking about Causes, Symptoms & Treatment for Gallstones.
About the speaker:- Dr Nayar Sajeet Gopinathan is a General Surgeon, Laparoscopic Surgeon, Vascula Surgeon, Proctologist and Laser Specialist at Pristyn Care Clinic with over 16 years of experience in this field. Dr Nayar Sajeet Gopinathan practices at the Pristyn Care Clinic in Malleswaram, Bangalore. He completed MBBS from Kasturba Medical College in 2003, MS - General Surgery from Sri Siddhartha Medical College & Research in 2008 and Diploma in Laparoscopy from VG Hospital, Coimbatore in 2012. He is a member of the Medical Council of India (MCI). He is fluent in Kannada and Malayalam. Key Areas of interest of Dr Nayar: Hernia, Gall Stone and Breast surgeries, Piles Treatment, Fissure Treatment, Fistula Treatment, Pilonidal Sinus Treatment, Varicose Veins Treatment, Hydrocele Treatment, Circumcision Treatment, Varicocele Treatment, Laparoscopic Hernia Repair, Lap Gall Stone Surgery, Diabetic foot and Bariatric surgery.