Risk factors for gallstone formation
- Genetics from family members
- Being overweight also leads to high cholesterol levels.
- Gender and age, because most gallstones occur in women and the elderly.
- Caused by other diseases or behaviors that affect the contraction of gallstones, such as diabetes or excessive weight loss, etc.
- Use of medications that increase cholesterol levels, such as birth control pills or cholesterol-lowering medications.
Gallstone symptoms
Usually, there are no serious symptoms. Patients can find out about stones during a health checkup and can observe the following symptoms:
- There is pain in the body, such as the abdomen, shoulders, back, etc.
- Have nausea and vomiting
- It has a noticeable effect on the digestive system, such as flatulence , bloating, and feeling full after eating.
The pain mentioned above will be temporary up to hours. If there are other complications, you should see a doctor immediately, such as yellow skin, chills, severe abdominal pain, etc.
Complications from kidney stones
If gallstones are left untreated or not treated properly, they can lead to the following diseases:
Cholecystitis
Gallstones form in the gallbladder, causing fever, yellow eyes, yellow skin , and severe abdominal pain.
Pancreatitis
Severe abdominal pain occurs because the gallstone has moved and blocked the pancreatic duct.
Bile duct cancer
Although it is very rare, this disease is more common in people who have had gallstones in the past.
Bloodstream infection
If the gallbladder or bile duct and pancreas have problems, it will result in a risk of bloodstream infection.
Diagnosis of gallstones
- Ask about the patient’s medical history and perform a physical examination.
- Upper abdominal ultrasound
- Blood test to check liver function
- Laparoscopic surgery
- If the bile duct is blocked, the doctor will use a needle to insert it through the liver into the bile duct.
Gallstone treatment
- Treatment of gallstones for patients without symptoms: There is no treatment. You just need to have regular check-ups to make sure the stones do not cause any harm to your body.
- Treatment for most symptomatic cases involves surgery to prevent complications.
Gallstone prevention
- Eat meals on time. Do not skip meals or skip meals. Avoid foods that are high in fat and low in fiber.
- Keep your weight within normal limits and exercise regularly to build immunity.
- For those who want to lose weight, they should not lose weight too quickly because it will increase triglycerides in the blood.
Medical technology
Laparoscopic surgery
At present, in the medical สนใจสมัคร? คลิกที่นี่เพื่อเริ่มต้น field, there has been development in the matter of surgery to be more efficient and less painful. Petcharavej Hospital sees the importance of this point. We therefore introduce “endoscopic surgery” to be used in surgery with an operating room of international standards from Hospital Accreditation (HA). This form of surgery is a small incision and is performed using an advanced camera (Advance Minimally). It is also more economical, less painful, and allows for faster recovery than open surgery.