"Intrahepatic bile duct stones"

Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on September 04, 2024
00:00
00:00

Intrahepatic bile duct stones, as the name implies, are stones located within the bile ducts inside the liver. The biliary tract is divided into extrahepatic and intrahepatic bile ducts. The intrahepatic bile ducts refer to the left and right hepatic ducts and their related branches. The intrahepatic bile ducts evolve from the left and right hepatic ducts into the common hepatic duct, common bile duct, and gallbladder, which are part of what we commonly refer to as the extrahepatic bile ducts. The symptoms of intrahepatic bile duct stones are not as apparent as those of common bile duct stones, but most intrahepatic bile duct stones cause upper abdominal pain in patients; generally, jaundice does not occur.

Other Voices

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
46sec home-news-image

Intrahepatic bile duct stones B-ultrasound manifestations

Intrahepatic bile duct stones show typical sonographic changes on ultrasound, appearing as punctate or mass-like strong echoes within the liver, accompanied by acoustic shadows. These strong echoes are distributed along the intrahepatic bile ducts. The bile duct proximal to the stone may exhibit varying degrees of dilation, and the dilated intrahepatic bile duct, along with the accompanying portal vein, forms a parallel tube sign. Around the strong echoes of the stones, a narrow anechoic region can be seen encircling them, and the stones generally do not move with changes in body position. Intrahepatic bile duct stones can also cause thickening of hepatic parenchyma echoes and internal echo heterogeneity.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
38sec home-news-image

Can intrahepatic bile duct stones be shattered?

Asymptomatic intrahepatic bile duct stones generally do not require treatment. Currently, most hepatobiliary surgeons believe that if patients undergo shock wave lithotripsy, the stones may migrate to the extrahepatic bile duct, forming common bile duct stones, and the patient will experience obvious abdominal pain, jaundice, and other symptoms, causing great trouble. Therefore, they oppose extracorporeal shock wave treatment for intrahepatic bile duct stones and suggest regular follow-up with ultrasound or CT, adopting more reasonable methods for treatment.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
29sec home-news-image

Do you need to cut the liver for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

The treatment of intrahepatic bile duct stones primarily requires surgery to remove the stones, relieve obstruction, and correct deformities. Generally, there is no need to remove the liver. However, if the liver has a tumor, or if intrahepatic bile duct stones are accompanied by liver fibrosis or even liver atrophy, partial liver lobe resection can be considered. For asymptomatic patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, temporary observation and follow-up are feasible.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
52sec home-news-image

Is running effective for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, frequent running has no effect on treatment. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, since it often coincides with cholangitis, they may experience significant pain in the upper right abdomen, along with clinical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chills, high fever, and jaundice. Therefore, when symptoms occur in patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, surgery is required to achieve treatment effects. The main surgical method is a choledochotomy for stone removal, which can cure the condition by removing the stones. Generally, treatment effects cannot be achieved through diet and exercise alone. Of course, avoiding spicy and irritating foods can reduce the likelihood of cholangitis and somewhat alleviate symptoms.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
50sec home-news-image

Does Jin Qian Cao expel gallstones from the liver's bile ducts?

This method cannot eliminate intrahepatic bile duct stones. The treatment for intrahepatic bile duct stones mainly depends on the symptoms. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones who do not have significant symptoms and whose stones are relatively small, no special treatment is required. Avoiding spicy and irritating foods in the diet can reduce inflammatory stimuli and better control the condition. Regular follow-up with ultrasonography is sufficient. However, for patients with larger intrahepatic bile duct stones, acute cholangitis may occur, presenting with significant upper abdominal pain. In such cases, proactive treatment is necessary. The treatment mainly involves surgery, which can significantly improve the prognosis and potentially cure the condition.