Gallstones

Symptoms
• Severe and sudden pain in the
upper right abdomen and
possibly the upper back.
• Intermittent or recurring
indigestion
• Fever and shivering
• Severe nausea and vomiting
• Abdominal fullness
• Excess gas
• Heartburn
• Indigestion
 Symptoms
• Jaundice; yellow
discoloration of the
skin, whites of the
eyes due to an
increase of bile
pigments in the
blood
• When your doctor
tells you during an
X- Ray or blood test
 Prevention
• Gallstones can block:
– Hepatic ducts, which lead out
of the liver
– Cystic duct, which leads in and
out of the gallbladder
– Common bile duct, which
takes bile from the liver and
gallbladder (hepatic and cystic
ducts) to the small intestine
 Prevention
• Healthy diet and exercise
– High in fiber, low in fat to prevent gallstone
formation
• Raw fruits and vegetables, cooked dried beans, whole-
grain cereals.
 Prevention
– Olive oil
• Helps to reduce cholesterol and
prevent gallstone formation
– Lecithin
• Natural thickener in ice cream,
mayonnaise that prevents
cholesterol buildup in the
gallbladder
– Found in: Soybeans, oatmeal,
eggs, milk, peanuts, cabbage,
chocolate.
Prevention
• Drinks:
– Alcohol, low to moderate
consumption
• (less than 2 drinks per
day)
– Coffee
• Lowest risk for gallstones:
men who drink 2 or more
cups per day
• No significant benefit for
women
– Other caffeinated beverages
do not have the same benefits
as coffee
 Causes

• Gallstones are
usually formed in
the gallbladder
• Can form
anywhere bile
there is bile
• Can be moved
with bile
• Bile
– Brown or greenish Causes
fluid that helps the
body break down
fatty foods
– Made up of
primarily cholesterol
and bile acid
– Produced by the
liver
– Stored and released
by the gallbladder
 • Formation of Gallstones
– Cholesterol Gallstones
• High fat diets 
Causes imbalance between
cholesterol and bile
acids in bile
– Cholesterol
solidifies into
gallstones
• Low fat diets 
gallbladder not used
frequently
– Cholesterol has
more time to
solidify
– Pigment Gallstones =
Calcium + Bilirubin
 Causes
• Factors
– Gender
– Age
– Obesity
– Pregnancy
– Hormone Levels
– Rapid Weight Loss
– Crohn’s Disease
– Increased Blood
Triglycerides
 Causes
• Growth of Gallstones
– Undissolved cholesterol
sticking together
– Forms particles of cholesterol
that grow in size
• patients with gallstones form
particles of cholesterol more
rapidly than individuals without
gallstones
– reduced contraction and C27H46O

emptying of the gallbladder

 Treatment
• Usually only necessary if the gallstones are
symptomatic
• Nonsurgical Therapy – can destroy an existing
gallstone, but does not prevent new ones from forming.
– Bile Salt (tablet): can dissolve stones formed from
cholesterol. May take months to years to remove the
stone.
– Contact dissolution: drug is injected directly into the
gallbladder with a catheter. Takes only a few hours.
• Surgical Removal – the gallbladder is not an essential
organ, so if gallstones are recurring, it may be removed.
Only treatment that prevents future gallstones
 Alternative Treatment
• Acupuncture – can relieve pain from
gallstones
• Chinese Herbs – can dissolve small
gallstones (ex. Pyrrosia leaf and rhubarb)
• Diet – weight reduction is a good way to
avoid gallstone development
 Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
• surgical removal of the gallbladder
(minimally invasive)
- small incision is made near the belly button,
and a laparoscope (video camera) and incision
instruments enter the body through this cut
- gallbladder is carefully separated from other
organs and removed through the abdomen
- one of the safest operations (2%
complication rate)
- recovery period about 1 week
 Bibliography
Simon, Harvey, ed. "Gallstones." New York Times. 26 June
2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2009.
<http://health.nytimes.com/health/guides/disease/acute-
cholecystitis-gallstones/prevention.html?print=1>.
• Somerville, Robert, ed. "Gallstones." The Medical
Advisor: The Complete Guide to Alternative &
Conventional Treatments. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life
Books, 1996. 384-87. Print.
• Marks, Jay W. "Gallstones, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis,
and Treatment by MedicineNet.com." Ed. Dennis Lee. 14
Dec. 2009 http://www.medicinenet.com/gallstones/article.htm
.
• Somerville, Robert, ed. "Gallstones." The Medical
Advisor: The Complete Guide to Alternative &
Conventional Treatments. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life
Books, 1996. 384-87. Print
 Bibliography (Cont.)
• Images:
• Slide 1 for Causes:
– "Gallbladder: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia Image." National Library of Medicine -
National Institutes of Health. 14 Dec. 2009
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/19261.htm.
• Slide 2 for Causes:
– "File:Cholestasis 2 high mag.jpg -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 Dec. 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Cholestasis_2_high_mag.jpg.
• Slide 3 for Causes:
– "File:Gallstones.jpg -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 Dec. 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Gallstones.jpg.
• Slide 4 for Causes:
– "File:Ultrasound Scan ND 243.jpg -." Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. 14 Dec. 2009
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ultrasound_Scan_ND_243.jpg.
• Slide 5 for Causes:
– "Cholesterol , What is Cholesterol ? About its Science, Chemistry and Structure." Chemistry,
Structures & 3D Molecules @ 3Dchem.com - Home. 14 Dec. 2009
http://www.3dchem.com/molecules.asp?ID=92.
 Bibliography (Cont.)
• Images:
• http://www.how-to-boost-your-immune-system.com/images/colorful_prod
uce.jpg
(Fruits and Vegetables)
• http://www.healthjockey.com/images/whole-grain-heart.jpg (Whole-Grain
Cereal)
• http://temasekpoly.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/2k8_olive_oil.jpg (Olive
Oil)
• http://www.panix.com/~clay/cookbook/images/eggs.jpg (Eggs)
• http://intoxicologist.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/baileys_coffee_other.jpg
(Coffee)
• http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/gallstones/ (Digestive system
diagram)
• https://health.google.com/health/ref/Gallstones (Gallastones)
• http://www.doereport.com/imagescooked/710W.jpg (Human body)
• www.sbhemresidency.com/
htmlabdomen.html (gallstone X-ray)