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
29sec home-news-image

How long does it take for intrahepatic bile duct stones to form?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones are a relatively common biliary system disease, related to patients' poor lifestyle and dietary habits. The formation time of intrahepatic bile duct stones varies; some people may form stones within a few months, while others may take several years, or even more than a decade or decades to form. Therefore, it is recommended that patients go to a regular public hospital for examination and maintain a light diet with plenty of vegetables.

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

Will liver bile duct stones cause facial spots?

Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones generally do not experience facial pigmentation. The symptoms of intrahepatic bile duct stones primarily manifest as acute cholangitis, with noticeable right upper abdominal pain, and may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Some patients may also exhibit symptoms of systemic infection such as chills, high fever, and fatigue. Additionally, obstructive jaundice can occur, characterized by lighter stool color, darker urine color, and yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes. However, facial pigmentation generally does not occur. Therefore, for patients with recurrent intrahepatic bile duct stones, early surgical treatment should be considered. Surgery is the only definitive treatment to relieve the condition effectively.

doctor image
home-news-image
Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
53sec home-news-image

Do people with intrahepatic bile duct stones experience weight loss?

Generally, patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones do not experience weight loss. If there is a significant weight decrease over a short period of time, resulting in weight loss or even cachexia, attention should be raised. It is necessary to complete relevant examinations to determine if there are malignant tumors. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, although they may repeatedly experience upper abdominal pain and discomfort, along with nausea and vomiting, and sometimes concurrent cholangitis that results in jaundice, generally, it does not affect their weight. Of course, the condition of patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones should be actively managed. For treatment, typically, laparoscopic choledochotomy for stone removal is chosen, which can completely eliminate the stones and significantly improve the patients' quality of life.

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

Is the recurrence rate of intrahepatic bile duct stones high?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones can potentially recur. Intrahepatic bile duct stones are often accompanied by acute cholangitis, resulting in significant right upper abdominal pain, and may also present with nausea, vomiting, abdominal distension, diarrhea, and other gastrointestinal symptoms. When symptoms occur, surgery can be performed to open the bile duct and remove the stones for a radical cure. However, there is also a possibility of recurrence in postoperative patients. The likelihood of recurrence cannot be definitively determined but should be assessed based on the condition of the illness. Therefore, patients who have undergone surgery should also have regular ultrasonographic follow-ups to dynamically observe changes in their condition and prevent the worsening of the disease.

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

Is dandelion useful for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

Dandelion has no effect on intrahepatic bile duct stones. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, if the stones are small, generally there are no obvious symptoms at this time, and no special treatment is needed. It is possible to periodically review with color ultrasound to dynamically observe the change in size. Of course, spicy and irritating foods should be avoided in the usual diet to reduce inflammatory stimulation, and eating more fresh vegetables and fruits can better control the development of the condition. For patients with larger intrahepatic bile duct stones, there might be complications such as acute cholangitis, characterized by severe pain and jaundice. Therefore, in such severe cases, early surgical treatment should be considered.