What You Need to Know About Gallstones

The gallbladder is an organ that stores bile during periods of fasting and releases it into the intestines during meals. Bile is produced in the liver and flows into the gallbladder. In some people, crystals form due to the chemical composition of the bile. Over time, these crystals can grow to the size of grains of sand and eventually to the size of stones. In some cases, they may clump together and thicken to form a deposit; this is called bile sludge.

What Causes Gallstones?

Although the exact cause is not fully understood, it is believed that the most important factor is the genetic traits that determine saffron’s chemical composition. In addition:

• The use of certain hormone-like medications,

• Obesity and a sedentary lifestyle,

• Diabetes and liver diseases,

• Certain blood disorders

may increase the risk of gallstone formation. Gallstone formation is more common in women and in people over the age of 40. Studies have found that the prevalence of gallstones is 17% among women over the age of 60 in Europe, 9% in the United States, and 15% in Turkey. In men, this rate is around 6–12%.

Symptoms and Complications

The vast majority of gallstones are “silent stones,” meaning they do not cause any symptoms and are often detected incidentally during an ultrasound. In cases where symptoms do occur, the most common symptom is pain; it typically occurs in the upper abdomen or the right side of the abdomen, often in episodes following meals. This pain can sometimes wake a person from sleep at night and may be accompanied by nausea.

If treatment is not administered for symptomatic stones, complications may develop. These include:

• Severe pain and fever due to gallbladder inflammation,

• Jaundice caused by a blockage resulting from a stone falling into the main bile duct,

• Obstructive pancreatitis is present.

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Diagnostic Methods

Gallstones are typically diagnosed using ultrasound. If there is inflammation in the gallbladder, ultrasound can also detect this. CT (computed tomography) may be used for a detailed examination of the gallbladder. If a stone has fallen into the bile duct, the diagnosis is made using endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) or MRCP (magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography).

Treatment

Asymptomatic gallstones do not require treatment; only annual ultrasound follow-ups are recommended. If pain or complications develop, the only treatment option is surgery. Today, the most common procedure is laparoscopic (minimally invasive) gallbladder surgery; it is generally a safe and uncomplicated procedure.

If the gallbladder is inflamed, antibiotic treatment is administered first. If there is a stone in the common bile duct, the stone is first removed endoscopically using the ERCP method, followed by gallbladder surgery.