CHOLELITHIASIS

Cholelithiasis is a condition in which stones are formed in the gall bladder.

Risk factors include:

Obesity

Female gender

Middle age

Hemolytic anemia

Hereditary

Clinical features

1.Most of the gall stones will be asymptotic

2.Many patients with symptoms presents with colicky pain in the right upper abdomen, nausea, vomiting, burping.

3. If gall bladder gets obstructed due to stones and infection occurs it is called as cholecystitis. In this condition patient complaints of severe persistent pain, Jaundice, yellow coloured urine, increased frequency of vomiting, dehydration, high grade fever.

Diagnosis:

Doctor advices you ultrasound of the abdomen first to confirm the diagnosis if there is seepage of stone in bile duct MRCP (type of MRI) is necessary to find the location followed by ERCP (which is diagnostic and therapeutic)

Treatment:

1. Various medical therapies are advised for stone dissolution but aren't found to be so effective.

2. Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is the gold standard treatment for gall stone. Which is a type of minimally invasive (key hole) Surgery. With quick recovery and discharge.

3. Sometimes in difficult cases where laparoscopic surgery is not possible open cholecystectomy is performed.

Please note presence of gall stones itself is an indication for Surgery.