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CME

CREDIT
REVIEW MOUNIR IBRAHIM, MD
Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute,
Cleveland Clinic

SHASHANK SARVEPALLI, MD
Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic

GARETH MORRIS-STIFF, MD, PhD


HPB Surgery, Digestive Disease and Surgery
Institute; Department of Stem Cell Biology and
Regenerative Medicine, Lerner Research Institute,
Cleveland Clinic; Clinical Assistant Professor,
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

MAGED RIZK, MD

Gallstones: Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland


Clinic; Assistant Professor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner
College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland, OH

Watch and wait, AMIT BHATT, MD


Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland
Clinic; Clinical Assistant Professor, Cleveland

or intervene? Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western


Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

R. MATTHEW WALSH, MD
Rich Family Distinguished Chair of Digestive
Diseases, Chairman, Department of General
ABSTRACT Surgery, Digestive Disease Institute, Chairman,
Academic Department of Surgery, Education
Institute, Cleveland Clinic; Professor, Cleveland
Gallstones are common in the United States, affecting an estimated 1 in Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western
7 adults. Fortunately, they are asymptomatic in up to 80% of cases, and Reserve University, Cleveland, OH

current guidelines do not recommend cholecystectomy unless they cause UMAR HAYAT, MD
Medicine Institute, Cleveland Clinic
symptoms. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the standard treatment for
ARI GARBER, MD, EdD
symptomatic gallstones, acute cholecystitis, and gallstone pancreatitis. Digestive Disease and Surgery Institute, Cleveland
Clinic; Clinical Instructor, Cleveland Clinic Lerner
KEY POINTS College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve
University, Cleveland, OH
Abdominal pain is the primary symptom associated with gallstones. JOHN VARGO, MD
Chairman, Department of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology, Digestive Disease and Surgery
Abdominal ultrasonography is the diagnostic test of choice to detect Institute, Cleveland Clinic; Associate Professor,
Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of
gallstones and assess for findings suggestive of acute cholecystitis and Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
dilation of the common bile duct. CAROL A. BURKE, MD
Vice Chair, Department of Gastroenterology
and Hepatology, Digestive Disease and Surgery
First-line therapy for asymptomatic gallstones is expectant management. Institute, Cleveland Clinic

First-line therapy for symptomatic gallstones is cholecystectomy.

he prevalence of gallstones is approxi- Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is the stan-


T mately 10% to 15% of the adult US
1,2
population. Most cases are asymptomatic, as
dard treatment for symptomatic cholelithiasis.
For asymptomatic cholelithasis, the usual ap-
gallstones are usually discovered incidentally proach is expectant management (“watch and
during routine imaging for other abdominal wait”), but prophylactic cholecystectomy may
conditions, and only about 20% of patients be an option in certain patients at high risk.
with asymptomatic gallstones develop clini-
cally significant complications.2,3 ■ CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
Nevertheless, gallstones carry significant Gallstones can be classified into 2 main cat-
healthcare costs. In 2004, the median inpa- egories based on their predominant chemical
tient cost for any gallstone-related disease was composition: cholesterol or pigment.
$11,584, with an overall annual cost of $6.2
billion.4,5 Cholesterol gallstones
About 75% of gallstones are composed of cho-
doi:10.3949/ccjm.85a.17035 lesterol.3,4 In the past, this type of stone was
CL E V E L AND CL I NI C J O URNAL O F M E DI CI NE V O L UM E 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2 0 1 8 323
GALLSTONES

TABLE 1 salts and increases secretion of cholesterol


into the gallbladder, which leads to choles-
Gallstone risk factors terol supersaturation. Progesterone acts syner-
gistically by causing hypomobility of the gall-
Age > 40
bladder, which in turn leads to bile stasis.12,13
Female sex Ethnicity. The risk is higher in Mexican
Reproductive age Americans and Native Americans than in
Pregnancy or oral contraception use other ethnic groups.14
Ethnicity (Mexican American, Native American) Rapid weight loss, such as after bariatric
surgery, occurs from decreased caloric intake
Rapid weight loss (eg, after bariatric surgery)
and promotes bile stasis, while lipolysis in-
Hemolytic anemia creases cholesterol mobilization and secretion
Diabetes mellitus into the gallbladder. This creates an environ-
ment conducive to bile supersaturation with
Obesity cholesterol, leading to gallstone formation.
Chronic hemolytic disorders carry an in-
thought to be caused by gallbladder inflam- creased risk of developing calcium bilirubinate
mation, bile stasis, and absorption of bile salts stones due to increased excretion of bilirubin
from damaged mucosa. However, it is now during hemolysis.
known that cholesterol gallstones are the re- Obesity and diabetes mellitus are both
sult of biliary supersaturation caused by cho- attributed to insulin resistance. Obesity also
lesterol hypersecretion into the gallbladder, increases bile stasis and cholesterol saturation.
gallbladder hypomotility, accelerated choles-
terol nucleation and crystallization, and mu- ■ CLINICAL PRESENTATION
cin gel accumulation. OF GALLSTONES (CHOLELITHIASIS)
Most patients with gallstones (cholelithiasis)
Pigment gallstones experience no symptoms. Their gallstones are
Only about 20% Black pigment gallstones account for 10% often discovered incidentally during imaging
of patients to 15% of all gallstones.6 They are caused tests for unrelated or unexplained abdominal
with gallstones by chronic hemolysis in association with su- symptoms. Most patients with asymptomatic
persaturation of bile with calcium hydrogen gallstones remain symptom-free, while about
experience bilirubinate, along with deposition of calcium 20% develop gallstone-related symptoms.2,3
symptoms carbonate, phosphate, and inorganic salts.7 Abdominal pain is the most common
Brown pigment stones, accounting for 5% symptom. The phrase biliary colic—suggest-
to 10% of all gallstones,6 are caused by infection ing pain that is fluctuating in nature—appears
in the obstructed bile ducts, where bacteria that ubiquitously in the medical literature, but it
produce beta-glucuronidase, phospholipase, and does not correctly characterize the pain asso-
slime contribute to formation of the stone.8,9 ciated with gallstones.
Most patients with gallstone symptoms
■ RISK FACTORS FOR GALLSTONES describe a constant and often severe pain
Multiple risk factors are associated with the in the right upper abdomen, epigastrium, or
development of gallstones (Table 1). both, often persisting for 30 to 120 minutes.
Age. After age 40, the risk increases dra- Symptoms are frequently reported in the epi-
matically, with an incidence 4 times higher for gastrium when only visceral pain fibers are
those ages 40 to 69 than in younger people.10 stimulated due to gallbladder distention.
Female sex. Women of reproductive age This is usually called midline pain; however,
are 4 times more likely to develop gallstones pain occurs in the back and right shoulder
than men, but this gap narrows after meno- in up to 60% of patients, with involvement
pause.11 The higher risk is attributed to female of somatic fibers.15,16 Gallstone pain is not
sex hormones, pregnancy, and oral contracep- relieved by change of position or passage of
tive use. Estrogen decreases secretion of bile stool or gas.
324 C LEV ELA N D C L INIC J OURNAL OF MEDICINE VOL UME 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2018
IBRAHIM AND COLLEAGUES

Onset of symptoms more than an hour af- TABLE 2


ter eating or in the late evening or at night also
very strongly suggests biliary pain. Patients with Gallstone complications
a history of biliary pain are more likely to experi-
Acute cholecystitis
ence it again, with a 69% chance of developing
recurrent pain within 2 years.17 Chronic cholecystitis
Choledocholithiasis
■ GALLSTONE-RELATED COMPLICATIONS
Acute cholangitis
In any year, approximately 1% to 3% of pa-
Acute pancreatitis
tients with gallstones experience a gallstone-
related complication.18 These complications Empyema in gallbladder
(Table 2) can occur in patients with or without Obstructive jaundice
symptoms. Patients without previous symp-
Choledochoduodenal fistula
toms from gallstones have a slightly lower 10-
year cumulative risk of complications—3% to Gallbladder perforation
4% vs approximately 6% in patients who have Adapted from information in references 18 and 19.
had gallstone-related symptoms.19
Acute gallbladder inflammation
(cholecystitis) Acute bacterial infection (cholangitis)
Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis) is Acute bacterial infection of the biliary sys-
the most common complication, occurring tem (cholangitis) is usually associated with
in up to 10% of symptomatic cases. Many obstruction of the common bile duct. Com-
patients with acute cholecystitis present mon symptoms of acute cholangitis include
with right upper quadrant pain that may be right upper quadrant pain, fever, and jaun-
accompanied by anorexia, nausea, or vomit- dice (Charcot triad), and these are present in
ing. Inspiratory arrest on deep palpation of about 50% to 75% of cases.21 In severe cases,
the right upper quadrant (Murphy sign) has a patients can develop altered mental status Women of
specificity of 79% to 96% for acute cholecys- and septicemic shock in addition to the Char- reproductive
titis.20 Markers of systemic inflammation such cot triad, a condition called the Reynold pen-
as fever, elevated white blood cell count, and age are 4 times
tad. White blood cell counts and serum levels
elevated C-reactive protein are highly sugges- of C-reactive protein, bilirubin, aminotrans- more likely
tive of acute cholecystitis.20,21 ferases, and alkaline phosphatase are usually to develop
Bile duct stones (choledocholithiasis) elevated.21 gallstones
Bile duct stones (choledocholithiasis) are de- Pancreatitis
tected in 3.4% to 12% of patients with gall-
than men
Approximately 4% to 8% of patients with
stones.22,23 Most stones in the common bile
gallstones develop inflammation of the pan-
duct migrate there from the gallbladder via
creas (pancreatitis).25 The diagnosis of acute
the cystic duct. Less commonly, primary duct
pancreatitis requires at least 2 of the follow-
stones form in the duct due to biliary stasis.
Removing the gallbladder does not completely ing:26,27
eliminate the risk of bile duct stones, as stones • Abdominal pain (typically epigastric, of-
can remain or recur after surgery. ten radiating to the back)
Bile duct stones can obstruct the common • Amylase or lipase levels at least 3 times
bile duct, which disrupts normal bile flow and above the normal limit
leads to jaundice. Other symptoms may in- • Imaging findings that suggest acute pan-
clude pruritus, right upper quadrant pain, nau- creatitis.
sea, and vomiting. Serum levels of bilirubin, Gallstone-related pancreatitis should be
aspartate aminotransferase, alanine amino- considered if the ALT level is greater than
transferase (ALT), and alkaline phosphatase 150 U/mL, which has a 97% specificity for
are usually high.24 gallstone-related pancreatitis.28
CL E V E L AND CL I NI C J O URNAL O F M E DI CI NE V O L UM E 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2 0 1 8 325
GALLSTONES

■ ABDOMINAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY The normal bile duct diameter ranges from 3


FOR DIAGNOSIS to 6 mm, although mild dilation is often seen in
Transabdominal ultrasonography, with a sen- older patients or after cholecystectomy or Roux-
sitivity of 84% to 89% and a specificity of up en-Y gastric bypass surgery.32,33 Bile duct dila-
to 99%, is the test of choice for detecting gall- tion of up to 10 mm can be considered normal
stones.29 The characteristic findings of acute in patients after cholecystectomy.34 A normal-
appearing bile duct on ultrasonography has a
cholecystitis on ultrasonography include
negative predictive value of 95% for excluding
enlargement of the gallbladder, thickening
common bile duct stones.31
of the gallbladder wall, presence of pericho-
Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS), magnetic
lecystic fluid, and tenderness elicited by the
resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP),
ultrasound probe over the gallbladder (sono-
and endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancrea-
graphic Murphy sign).
tography (ERCP) have similar sensitivity (89%–
Scintigraphy as a second test 94%, 85%–92%, and 89%–93%, respectively)
Acute cholecystitis is primarily a clinical diag- and specificity (94%–95%, 93%–97%, and
nosis and typically does not require additional 100%, respectively) for detecting common bile
imaging beyond ultrasonography. When there duct stones.35–37 EUS is superior to MRCP in de-
is discordance between clinical and ultraso- tecting stones smaller than 6 mm.38
nographic findings, the most accurate second ERCP should be reserved for managing
imaging test is scintigraphy of the biliary tract, rather than diagnosing common bile duct
usually performed with technetium-labeled stones because of the risk of pancreatitis and
hydroxy iminodiacetic acid. Given intrave- perforation. Patients undergoing cholecys-
nously, the radionuclide is rapidly taken up tectomy who are suspected of having cho-
by the liver and then secreted into the bile. ledocholithiasis may undergo intraoperative
In acute cholecystitis, the cystic duct is func- cholangiography or laparoscopic common bile
tionally occluded and the isotope does not en- duct ultrasonography.
ter the gallbladder, creating an imaging void
Patients have compared with a normal appearance. ■ WATCH AND WAIT, OR INTERVENE?
constant, Scintigraphy is more sensitive than ab- Asymptomatic gallstones
dominal ultrasonography, with a sensitivity The management of patients with asymptom-
often severe of up to 97% vs 81% to 88%, respectively.29,30 atic gallstones typically is based on the risk of
pain in the The tests have about equal specificity. developing symptoms or complications. Large
Even though scintigraphy is more sensi- cohort studies have found that patients with-
right upper out symptoms have about a 7% to 26% life-
tive, abdominal ultrasonography is often the
abdomen initial test for patients with suspected acute time risk of developing them (Table 3).39–46
or epigastrium, cholecystitis because it is more widely avail- Standard treatment for these patients is ex-
able, takes less time, does not involve radia- pectant management. Cholecystectomy is not
or both tion exposure, and can assess for the presence recommended for patients with asymptomatic
or absence of gallstones and dilation of the gallstones.47 Nevertheless, some patients may
intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts. benefit from prophylactic cholecystectomy.
We and others48 suggest considering cholecys-
Looking for stones in the common bile duct tectomy in the following patients.
When acute cholangitis due to choledo- Patients with chronic hemolytic anemia
cholithiasis is suspected, abdominal ultraso- (including children with sickle cell anemia
nography is a prudent initial test to look for and spherocytosis). These patients have a
gallstones or biliary dilation suggesting ob- higher risk of developing calcium bilirubinate
struction by stones in the common bile duct. stones, and cholecystectomy has improved
Abdominal ultrasonography has only a 22% outcomes.49 It should be noted that most of
to 55% sensitivity for visualizing stones in the these data come from pediatric populations
common bile duct, but it has a 77% to 87% and have been extrapolated to adults.
sensitivity for detecting common bile duct di- Native Americans, who have a higher risk
lation, a surrogate marker of stones.31 of gallbladder cancer if they have gallstones.2,50
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IBRAHIM AND COLLEAGUES

TABLE 3
Asymptomatic gallstones: Outcomes with watchful waiting
No. of Follow-up Developed Developed
Investigators patients (months) biliary colic complications

Gracie et al,41 1982 123 252 18% 2.4%


McSherry et al,42 1985 135 46 10% _
43
Wada et al, 1993 680 160 20% _
Attili et al,39 1995 118 120 25.8% 3%
Halldestam et al,44 2004 120 87 6.6% 5%
45
Festi et al, 2010 453 104 21.9% _
Shabanzadeh et al,46 2016 664 209 11.6% 8%

Conversely, calcification of the gallblad- opaque stones, and mild symptoms. Clinical
der wall (“porcelain gallbladder”) is no longer management and emergency laparoscopic
considered an absolute indication for chole- cholecystectomy are recommended for large
cystectomy. This condition was thought to pigmented or radiopaque stones. Otherwise,
be associated with a high rate of gallbladder clinical follow-up is recommended.
carcinoma, but analyses of larger, more recent For patients experiencing acute chole-
data sets found much smaller risks.51,52 Further, cystitis, laparoscopic cholecystectomy within
cholecystectomy in these patients was found 72 hours is recommended.48 There were safety
to be associated with high rates of postopera- concerns regarding higher rates of morbid- In any year,
tive complications. Thus, prophylactic chole- ity and conversion from laparoscopic to open
cholecystectomy in patients who underwent
1% to 3%
cystectomy is no longer recommended in as-
ymptomatic cases of porcelain gallbladder. surgery before the acute cholecystitis episode of patients
In addition, concomitant cholecystectomy had settled. However, a large meta-analysis with gallstones
in patients undergoing bariatric surgery is no found no significant difference between early
longer considered the therapeutic standard. and delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy in have a
Historically, cholecystectomy was performed bile duct injury or conversion rates.54 Further, complication
in these patients because of the increased risk early cholecystectomy—defined as within 1
of gallstones associated with rapid weight loss week of symptom onset—has been found to
after surgery. However, research now weighs reduce gallstone-related complications, short-
against concomitant cholecystectomy with en hospital stays, and lower costs.55–57 If the
bariatric surgery and most other abdominal patient cannot undergo surgery, percutaneous
surgeries for asymptomatic gallstones.53 cholecystotomy or novel endoscopic gallblad-
der drainage interventions can be used.
Laparoscopic surgery For patients with bile duct stones. Guide-
for symptomatic gallstones lines from the American Society for Gastro-
Patients with symptomatic gallstones are at intestinal Endoscopy (ASGE) suggest that
high risk of biliary complications. Laparo- patients with an intermediate or high probabil-
scopic cholecystectomy is recommended for ity of developing choledocholithiasis should
patients who can undergo surgery (Figure undergo preoperative or intraoperative evalu-
1).48 Oral dissolution therapy and extracor- ation of the common bile duct (Figure 2).31
poreal shock wave lithotripsy are available Several variables predict the presence of
for patients who cannot undergo surgery but bile duct stones in patients who have symptoms
have good gallbladder function, small radi- (Table 4). Based on these predictors, the ASGE
CL E V E L AND CL I NI C J O URNAL O F M E DI CI NE V O L UM E 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2 0 1 8 327
GALLSTONES

Management of patients with gallstones


Patient with gallstones

No Symptoms? Yes

No Yes
Complications?
Hemolytic anemia
or Native American?
No Yes No Candidate for Yes
surgery
Follow-up Prophylactic cholecystectomy
may be offered Laparoscopic
Mild symptoms, good cholecystectomy
No bladder function Yes
radiolucent stones,
small stones
Oral dissolution or
Large pigmented
extracorporeal shock
or radiopaque
wave therapy
No stones Yes

Follow-up, except for Clinical management,


hemolytic anemia, percutaneous
Native American cholecystostomy

Acute cholecystitis Choledocholithiasis Acute cholangitis Acute pancreatitis

Laparoscopic Refer to Intravenous fluids


cholecystectomy guidelines and broad-spectrum Intravenous fluids and
within 72 hours (Figure 2) antibiotics pain control
Biliary Laparoscopic
decompression cholecystectomy if
gallstone pancreatitis
Endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatog- ERCP within 24 hours if
raphy (ERCP) for stone cholangitis present
Based on information in reference 48. removal

Figure 1. Management of patients with gallstones.

classifies the probabilities as low (< 10%), inter- on the availability, costs, and local expertise.
mediate (10% to 50%), and high (> 50%)31: Patients with associated cholangitis should
• Low-risk patients require no further evalu- be given intravenous fluids and broad-spectrum
ation of the common bile duct antibiotics. Biliary decompression should be
• High-risk patients should undergo preoper- done as early as possible to decrease the risk of
ative ERCP and stone extraction if needed morbidity and mortality. For acute cholangitis,
• Intermediate-risk patients should undergo ERCP is the treatment of choice.25
preoperative imaging with EUS or MRCP or Patients with acute gallstone pancreati-
intraoperative bile duct evaluation, depending tis should receive conservative management
328 C LEV ELA N D C L INIC J OURNAL OF MEDICINE VOL UME 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2018
IBRAHIM AND COLLEAGUES

Management of patients with choledocholithiasis

Likelihood of choledocholithiasis
(Table 4)

Low Intermediate High

Laparoscopic Preoperative endoscopic


cholecystectomy retrograde
cholangiopancreatography
No cholangiography needed
(ERCP)

Laparoscopic Preoperative endo-


intraoperative scopic ultrasonography
cholangiography or preoperative
or magnetic resonance
laparoscopic cholangio-
ultrasonography pancreatography

Positive Negative Positive

Laparoscopic common Laparoscopic


bile duct exploration cholecystectomy Preoperative
or ERCP
postoperative
ERCP

Figure 2. Management of patients with symptomatic bile duct stones (choledocholithiasis).


Reprinted from ASGE Standards of Practice Committee; Maple JT, Ben-Menachem T, Anderson MA, et al. The role of endoscopy in the evaluation of suspected
choledocholithiasis. Gastrointest Endoscp 2010; 71:1–9 with permission from Elsevier.

with intravenous isotonic solutions and pain However, in 1999, Uhl et al58 reported that 48
control, followed by laparoscopic cholecystec- of 77 patients admitted with acute gallstone pan-
tomy.48 creatitis were able to undergo laparoscopic cho-
The timing of laparoscopic cholecystec- lecystectomy during the same admission. Success
tomy in acute gallstone pancreatitis has been rates were 85% (30 of 35 patients) in those with
debated. Studies conducted during the era mild disease and 62% (8 of 13 patients) in those
of open cholecystectomy reported similar or with severe disease. They concluded laparoscopic
worse outcomes if cholecystectomy was done cholecystectomy could be safely performed with-
sooner rather than later. in 7 days in patients with mild disease, whereas
CL E V E L AND CL I NI C J O URNAL O F M E DI CI NE V O L UM E 85 • NUM BE R 4 AP RI L 2 0 1 8 329
GALLSTONES

TABLE 4 in severe disease at least 3 weeks should elapse


because of the risk of infection.
Predictors of bile duct stones In a randomized trial published in 2010,
Predictors Aboulian et al59 reported that hospital length
of stay (the primary end point) was shorter in
Very strong 25 patients who underwent laparoscopic chole-
Ascending cholangitis
Common bile duct stone on abdominal cystectomy early (within 48 hours of admission)
ultrasonography than in 25 patients who underwent surgery af-
Bilirubin > 4 mg/dL ter abdominal pain had resolved and laboratory
Strong enzymes showed a normalizing trend, 3.5 vs 5.8
Dilated common bile duct on abdominal days (P = .0016). Rates of perioperative compli-
ultrasonography cations and need for conversion to open surgery
Bilirubin 1.8–4 mg/dL were similar between the 2 groups.
Moderate If there is associated cholangitis, patients
Age > 55 should also be given broad-spectrum antibiot-
Abnormal aminotransferase and ics and should undergo ERCP within 24 hours
gamma-glutamyl transferase levels
of admission.25–27
Gallstone pancreatitis
■ SUMMARY
Likelihood of choledocholithiasis
based on predictors Gallstones are common in US adults. Abdomi-
High (> 50%) nal ultrasonography is the diagnostic imaging
Presence of any very strong factor test of choice to detect gallbladder stones and
Presence of 2 strong factors assess for findings suggestive of acute chole-
Intermediate (10% to 50%) cystitis and dilation of the common bile duct.
All other patients Fortunately, most gallstones are asymptomatic
Low (< 10%) and can usually be managed expectantly. In
No predictors present patients who have symptoms or have gallstone
Adapted from reference 31. complications, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is
the standard of care. ■
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