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The most common cause of bile duct obstruction is when gallstone(s) are dislodged from the gallbladder into the cystic duct or common bile duct resulting in a blockage. A blockage of the gallbladder or cystic duct may cause cholecystitis. If the blockage is beyond the confluence of the pancreatic duct, this may cause gallstone pancreatitis.
Cholecystitis causes the gallbladder to become distended and firm. Distension can lead to decreased blood flow to the gallbladder, causing tissue death and eventually gangrene. [ 13 ] Once tissue has died, the gallbladder is at greatly increased risk of rupture (perforation), which can cause sharp pain.
Jaundice, also known as icterus, is a yellowish or greenish pigmentation of the skin and sclera due to high bilirubin levels. [3] [6] Jaundice in adults is typically a sign indicating the presence of underlying diseases involving abnormal heme metabolism, liver dysfunction, or biliary-tract obstruction. [7]
The varied causes of hyperbilirubinemia are best understood from bilirubin metabolism. The total average daily production of bilirubin in humans is 4 mg/kg. 80% of which is derived from haemoglobin (Hb) produced by erythrocyte breakdown, with the remaining from heme proteins, like myoglobin and cytochrome, turnover. [5]
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.
If the patient must have the gallbladder removed for gallstones, the surgeon may choose to proceed with the surgery, and obtain a cholangiogram during the surgery. If the cholangiogram shows a stone in the bile duct, the surgeon may attempt to treat the problem by flushing the stone into the intestine or retrieve the stone back through the ...
Bile duct obstruction, which is usually present in acute cholangitis, is generally due to gallstones. 10–30% of cases, however, are due to other causes such as benign stricturing (narrowing of the bile duct without an underlying tumor), postoperative damage or an altered structure of the bile ducts such as narrowing at the site of an anastomosis (surgical connection), various tumors (cancer ...
Coffee-ground-like vomit suggests less severe bleeding in the stomach because the gastric acid has had time to change the composition of the blood; Yellow or green vomit suggests bile, indicating that the pyloric valve is open and bile is flowing into the stomach from the duodenum. This may occur during successive episodes of vomiting after the ...