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Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
About me
Deputy Chief Physician, has repeatedly visited provincial tertiary hospitals for further training in general surgery.
Proficient in diseases
Standardized treatment for gallstones, tumors, gastrointestinal tumors, as well as general surgery such as thyroid and breast surgery.
Voices
Can gallbladder cancer be detected through blood tests?
Blood tests generally cannot detect gallbladder cancer because there are no specific markers in the blood tests for gallbladder cancer. Although some tumor markers may be significantly elevated, they are not specific. Therefore, diagnosis of gallbladder cancer can be refined through abdominal CT, color ultrasound, and if necessary, puncture tissue for pathological examination to confirm the nature. Once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, surgery should be performed as soon as possible because gallbladder cancer is a highly malignant, rapidly developing, and poor prognosis malignancy. It is important to pay attention to it and handle it promptly to improve the prognosis and potentially extend the patient’s life.
Causes of gallstones
The main cause of gallstones is attributed to diet, with cholesterol stones being the most common type among patients. Therefore, individuals who consume foods high in fats and cholesterol, such as offal and fatty meats, are more prone to developing gallstones. Of course, the formation of gallstones is also closely related to genetic and environmental factors. Treatment of gallstones primarily depends on the presence or absence of symptoms. Patients with small gallstones usually do not exhibit noticeable symptoms and do not require special treatment, but should regularly undergo follow-up ultrasound examinations to monitor any changes. However, patients with symptomatic gallstones need to have their gallbladder surgically removed to achieve a cure.
Can gallstones within the liver that don't cause pain be ignored?
For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones who do not experience any discomfort, abdominal pain, or jaundice, it is possible to temporarily observe without special treatment. However, special attention should be paid to the diet. It is advisable to avoid spicy and stimulating foods such as chili peppers, barbecue, and garlic, as these inflammatory irritants may cause local inflammation and even lead to acute cholecystitis and cholangitis. Additionally, the diet should also avoid foods high in cholesterol and fats, such as animal offal and fatty meats, as these foods can exacerbate symptoms. Therefore, although patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones may not exhibit any symptoms, it is still important to pay attention to daily life.
Do gallstones need to be removed?
Whether or not gallstones need to be removed depends mainly on whether there are symptoms and the size of the stones. For patients with gallstones smaller than four centimeters, they generally do not exhibit obvious symptoms and do not require special treatment. They can have regular follow-up ultrasound exams to dynamically observe any changes in the condition. Of course, they should avoid spicy and irritating foods in their diet to reduce inflammatory stimuli, which is beneficial in controlling the condition. For patients with larger gallstones, who repeatedly experience discomfort and pain in the upper right abdomen, it is necessary to remove the gallbladder through surgery to achieve a cure. The preferred method of surgery is laparoscopic cholecystectomy, as it has the advantages of a smaller incision, less damage, and quicker recovery.
Can a liver cyst turn into cancer?
Liver cysts may potentially become malignant. Although liver cysts are mostly caused by congenital genetic factors and generally do not show obvious symptoms—often only discovered during ultrasonographic examinations—they do not usually require special treatment. However, it is possible for liver cysts to turn cancerous, thus they should be taken seriously. Regular follow-up ultrasound examinations are necessary to monitor changes in size. If a cyst shows a significant increase in size over a short period, it is crucial to pay attention and to consider surgical removal as early as possible to achieve better treatment outcomes. Additionally, attention should also be given to patients with large liver cysts; early surgical intervention might be necessary, as a larger size may cause pain in the liver area and lead to liver function abnormalities, among other issues. Therefore, these symptoms should be taken seriously.
Is gallbladder cancer prone to spreading?
Gallbladder cancer is a type of cancer that is prone to spreading and is of a higher malignancy level. It is difficult to detect in the early stages. Patients with gallbladder cancer may initially present with subtle right upper abdominal pain, which is often overlooked. Therefore, once diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, it generally has reached the mid to late stages. At this time, the patient's pain becomes significant, which is the primary reason for seeking medical attention. Gallbladder cancer progresses rapidly and is prone to metastasize to other locations, such as the liver, leading to liver dysfunction, jaundice, ascites, hypoalbuminemia, and more. Additionally, for gallbladder cancer, the treatment strategy emphasizes early surgical removal to achieve better therapeutic outcomes.
The difference between gallbladder polyps and gallbladder cancer in ultrasound examinations
For gallbladder polyps, they are a type of benign tumor, so under color ultrasound, benign protrusions can be observed, and there are no adhesions with surrounding tissues, nor is there obvious blood vessel supply. For gallbladder cancer, it is a type of malignant tumor, so at this time, adhesions with surrounding tissues can be observed under color ultrasound, and there is obvious blood vessel supply. Therefore, for patients with gallbladder polyps and gallbladder cancer, their treatment methods are completely different, and attention should be paid. If it is a gallbladder polyp, patients generally do not exhibit obvious symptoms and do not require special management. For gallbladder cancer patients, however, it severely affects their quality of life and lifespan, so attention must be paid, and early surgical removal and treatment must be undertaken to achieve a cure.
Do liver hemangiomas occasionally cause pain?
Patients with hepatic hemangioma may occasionally experience pain. Although hepatic hemangioma is a benign tumor, it can still cause pain in the liver area. Moreover, the most severe complication of hepatic hemangioma is liver bleeding. Therefore, it is advisable to perform surgery as soon as possible when the tumor is large. The primary method of surgery is interventional surgery, which can achieve a cure by ligation. If not actively managed, liver bleeding can occur, leading to a critical condition, even causing hemorrhagic shock and death. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to this condition, and for smaller hepatic hemangiomas, regular follow-up color ultrasound examinations should be conducted to dynamically observe changes in size.
Is a liver hemangioma serious if it is benign?
The severity of a patient with a hepatic hemangioma primarily depends on the size of the tumor. For patients with hepatic hemangiomas, if the size is relatively small, they generally do not experience significant discomfort, and most are discovered incidentally during ultrasound screenings. In such cases, no special treatment is required; just regular follow-up ultrasounds to monitor any changes in size. However, if the hepatic hemangioma is large, it often leads to rupture, bleeding, or even hemorrhagic shock, which requires attention and should be treated as early as possible. For its treatment, minimally invasive surgery, specifically interventional treatments, are the preferred options and can be very effective.
Is a two-centimeter liver hemangioma serious?
When the volume of a liver hemangioma is two centimeters, the condition is relatively mild and usually does not present any obvious symptoms, thus requiring no special treatment. Of course, it is advisable to avoid hard-to-digest foods and spicy foods to reduce the burden on the liver, which can help control the condition. However, for patients with larger liver hemangiomas, there is often a risk of rupture and bleeding, making the condition more severe and sometimes leading to death due to hemorrhagic shock. Therefore, for patients with larger liver hemangiomas, it is advisable to opt for surgical treatment as early as possible, as surgery is the only way to completely treat the condition.