Causes of gallstones

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on September 10, 2024
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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.

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Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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How many days are needed for minimally invasive gallbladder stone surgery?

Gallbladder stones clinically often require surgical treatment. There are two types of minimally invasive surgery for gallbladder stones. The first type is laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and the other type is laparoscopic gallbladder-preserving stone removal. If the patient undergoes minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving stone removal, they can generally move around within three to five hours after surgery, resume a liquid diet after half a day, be discharged three days postoperatively, and fully recover within a week without affecting their normal life and work. If the patient undergoes a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and if they are relatively young, it is recommended that they can resume eating on the evening of the surgery, get out of bed the next day, and be discharged within two to three days. Even in some large clinical medical centers, the cholecystectomy can be performed as a day surgery, where the patient may be admitted in the morning, undergo surgery in the afternoon, and handle discharge procedures after completing post-surgery intravenous fluid therapy in the evening.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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What should not be eaten with gallstones?

Patients with gallstones should primarily avoid spicy and stimulating foods, such as chili peppers, barbecue, and garlic, to reduce inflammation. They should also avoid foods high in fats and cholesterol, such as animal organs and fatty meats. For patients with gallstones, the diet should mainly consist of light and mild foods, and include plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits to lessen the burden on the gallbladder and reduce the frequency of symptoms. If a patient with gallstones repeatedly experiences discomfort or pain in the upper right abdomen, it is necessary to consider surgical removal of the gallbladder at an early stage. Surgery is the only definitive treatment to improve the quality of life for these patients, and diet still needs to be carefully managed post-surgery.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Can I eat before a gallbladder stone examination?

Before checking for gallstones, one should not eat, as the main methods of examination are through color ultrasound and CT scans, which can better lead to a diagnosis. Both color ultrasound and CT scans require fasting because eating can cause the stomach to fill, potentially resulting in artifacts that hinder the observation of the condition. Therefore, patients with gallstones need to fast before the examination. The approach to treatment depends on the presence of symptoms and the size of the stones. For large gallstones that cause recurrent episodes, early surgical treatment should be considered. Only by surgically removing the gallbladder can a definitive cure be achieved, which can significantly improve the prognosis for the patient.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Gallbladder stones minimally invasive surgery, how long before getting out of bed?

How soon a patient with gallbladder stones can get out of bed and move around after minimally invasive surgery mainly depends on their recovery post-operation. For patients with gallbladder stones, the primary surgical method chosen is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Due to the small incisions, minimal damage, and faster recovery associated with laparoscopy, it is often the preferred choice in clinical settings. Generally, patients can start moving around about five days post-surgery. However, in cases where patients have other underlying conditions, such as malnutrition, hypoproteinemia, or heart failure, the healing time may be extended. In such cases, it could take about half a month before they can move around. Therefore, the specific time when a patient can get out of bed and move around should be analyzed based on individual medical conditions.

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Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps differentiation

Gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps are common diseases in the digestive system and are usually benign. Both gallbladder stones and gallbladder polyps can cause chronic inflammation of the gallbladder, leading to chronic cholecystitis. Some patients may experience acute episodes of pain in the upper right abdomen, leading to an acute cholecystitis attack. Both conditions typically require laboratory tests and diagnostic imaging to confirm diagnosis. Clinically, they are mainly identified through color Doppler ultrasound; gallbladder stones are formed by the deposition of bile salts within the gallbladder, while gallbladder polyps are protrusions growing from the gallbladder wall into the cavity, which can be clearly distinguished by ultrasound.