"Intrahepatic bile duct stones"

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

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Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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"Intrahepatic bile duct stones"

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.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
49sec home-news-image

Where to massage for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

If intrahepatic bile duct stones are present without obvious symptoms, no special treatment is needed at this time. It is advisable to regularly re-examine with ultrasound and dynamically observe any changes in size. Of course, diet should avoid spicy and irritant foods, mainly light foods, and consume more fresh vegetables and fruits to reduce inflammatory stimulation and better control the progression of the disease. If there are significant symptoms, there will be obvious pain in the upper right abdomen, and possibly nausea, vomiting, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, the treatment should involve early surgical intervention, as surgery is the only way to achieve a cure. The main surgical method is laparoscopic choledochotomy for stone removal.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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What should I do if I always have back pain due to intrahepatic bile duct stones?

If patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones repeatedly experience back pain, this should be taken seriously. Intrahepatic bile duct stones often coincide with acute cholangitis, which can cause discomfort and pain in the upper right abdomen. There might also be radiating pain in the right shoulder and scapular area, resulting in a sensation of soreness. At this time, antibiotic treatment should be used to fight the infection. Once the inflammation is under control, the condition can be alleviated. Of course, if the symptoms recur, surgical treatment should be carried out as soon as possible. Only surgery can achieve a complete cure, significantly improving the patient's quality of life and alleviating the condition more effectively.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is the likelihood of malignant transformation of intrahepatic bile duct stones high?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones have a relatively low probability of becoming cancerous. Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones may develop acute cholangitis, presenting with symptoms like severe pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and systemic infectious symptoms such as chills and high fever, but generally, these stones do not become cancerous. When patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones exhibit significant symptoms, it is important to take them seriously and perform timely surgical treatment to achieve a radical cure. The main surgical approach is laparoscopic salpingotomy for stone removal, which can lead to better treatment outcomes. Additionally, dietary adjustments should include avoiding spicy and irritating foods to reduce inflammatory stimuli and better prevent exacerbation of the condition.

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Written by Shen Jiang Chao
Radiology
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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.