Are intrahepatic bile duct stones the same as gallstones?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on September 27, 2024
00:00
00:00

Intrahepatic bile duct stones are a type of gallstone, and patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones often develop cholangitis. Thus, patients may exhibit symptoms such as chills, high fever, jaundice, and significant upper abdominal pain. They might also experience nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, the condition can lead to acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis, septic shock, and even result in death. Therefore, intrahepatic bile duct stones should be taken seriously. If significant symptoms occur, it is advisable to undergo surgery as soon as possible. The surgical method can be a laparoscopic choledochotomy to remove the stones, which can be curative. Gallstones also include gallbladder stones, which are a common type clinically. If symptoms occur, the treatment method is also surgical, involving the removal of the gallbladder to achieve a cure.

Other Voices

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

What medicine should be taken for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

The treatment of intrahepatic bile duct stones currently does not have specific medications. Traditional Chinese medicine treatments primarily focus on clearing the liver and facilitating bile flow, and have certain clinical effects. Western medicine often uses deoxycholic acid, ursodeoxycholic acid, and chenodeoxycholic acid, which can somewhat prevent the formation of bile duct stones. It is also recommended that patients change poor lifestyle habits, adjust their life rhythms, and eat three meals a day at regular times, especially breakfast. Specific medications should be used under the guidance of a doctor.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
58sec home-news-image

Are intrahepatic bile duct stones the same as gallstones?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones are a type of gallstone, and patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones often develop cholangitis. Thus, patients may exhibit symptoms such as chills, high fever, jaundice, and significant upper abdominal pain. They might also experience nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, the condition can lead to acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis, septic shock, and even result in death. Therefore, intrahepatic bile duct stones should be taken seriously. If significant symptoms occur, it is advisable to undergo surgery as soon as possible. The surgical method can be a laparoscopic choledochotomy to remove the stones, which can be curative. Gallstones also include gallbladder stones, which are a common type clinically. If symptoms occur, the treatment method is also surgical, involving the removal of the gallbladder to achieve a cure.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Li Hu Chen
Imaging Center
37sec home-news-image

Ultrasound presentation of intrahepatic bile duct stones

Intrahepatic bile duct stones can generally be detected via ultrasound, as they show up as strong echoes due to their solid nature which reflects sound waves back to the surface. However, the majority of these intrahepatic bile duct stones are asymptomatic. Since they rarely cause dilation of the intrahepatic bile ducts, and as long as the bile ducts do not appear dilated, thickened, or tortuous on the ultrasound, they usually do not have any significant impact. Therefore, most intrahepatic bile duct stones do not require treatment and can be managed through observation.

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 Li Fei Rong
General Surgery
41sec home-news-image

Surgical treatment methods for intrahepatic bile duct stones

Asymptomatic intrahepatic bile duct stones do not require treatment; regular follow-up examinations are recommended. Surgical treatment should be considered for those with recurring clinical symptoms. The principle of surgical treatment is to remove the stones as much as possible, identify and address bile duct strictures and obstructions, remove infected areas and the sites of stones to restore and establish unobstructed bile drainage, and prevent recurrence of the stones. Surgical methods include choledochotomy for stone removal, bilioenteric anastomosis, and hepatectomy.