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About 10–15% of adults in the developed world have gallstones. [5] Women more commonly have stones than men and they occur more commonly after age 40. [4] Certain ethnic groups are more often affected; for example, 48% of American Indians have gallstones. [4] Of all people with stones, 1–4% have biliary colic each year. [5]
Gallbladder diseases are diseases involving the gallbladder and is closely linked to biliary disease, with the most common cause being gallstones (cholelithiasis). [1] [2]The gallbladder is designed to aid in the digestion of fats by concentrating and storing the bile made in the liver and transferring it through the biliary tract to the digestive system through bile ducts that connect the ...
In the developed world, 10 to 15% of adults have gallstones. [3] Of those with gallstones, biliary colic occurs in 1 to 4% each year. [3] Nearly 30% of people have further problems related to gallstones in the year following an attack. [3] About 15% of people with biliary colic eventually develop inflammation of the gallbladder if not treated. [3]
These usually appear waxy and yellow, predominantly around the eyes and joints. [11] This condition results from an accumulation of lipids within the blood. [12] If gallstones prevent bile flowing from the pancreas to the small intestine, it can lead to gallstone pancreatitis. Physical symptoms include nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain.
Patients with cholelithiasis typically present with pain in the right-upper quadrant of the abdomen with the associated symptoms of nausea and vomiting, especially after a fatty meal. The physician can confirm the diagnosis of cholelithiasis with an abdominal ultrasound that shows the ultrasonic shadows of the stones in the gallbladder.
Most people with gallstones (about 80%) are asymptomatic. [2] [3] However, when a gallstone obstructs the bile duct and causes acute cholestasis, a reflexive smooth muscle spasm often occurs, resulting in an intense cramp-like visceral pain in the right upper part of the abdomen known as a biliary colic (or "gallbladder attack"). [4]
Approximately 25% of people with PSC have gallstones. [1] Ultrasound surveillance of the gallbladder every year is recommended for people with PSC. [1] Any person with PSC who is found to have a mass in the gallbladder should undergo surgical removal of the gallbladder due to the high risk of cholangiocarcinoma. [1]
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC), previously known as primary biliary cirrhosis, is an autoimmune disease of the liver. [1] [2] [3] It results from a slow, progressive destruction of the small bile ducts of the liver, causing bile and other toxins to build up in the liver, a condition called cholestasis.