Gallstones
By: Richelle Galiotte and Jesus Granados
.Definition/Signs and Symptoms.
Definition: Gallstones is a crystalline concretion formed within the gallbladder by accretion of bile components.
Signs:
- Pain that occurs with a fever, nausea, and vomiting or loss of appetite(sign that there is inflammation or infection of the gallbladder)
- Pain in the stomach area or in the upper right part of the belly, under the ribs.
*Symptoms that may mean that a gallstone is blocking the common bile duct include*:
- Yellowing of the skin and the white part of the eyes
- Dark urine
- Light- colored stools
- A fever and chills
.Causes/Treatments.
Cause:
- An inbalance in the substances that makeup bile.
- The inability of the gallbladder to empty properly
Treatments:
- Surgical removal of the gallbladder
- Medicine
.Diagnosis and Prognosis.
Diagnosis:
- Your doctor will examine your skin for jaundice and feel your abdomen to check for tenderness
- A blood test
- Ultrasound exam
- CT scans
Prognosis:
- Pancreatitis
- If gallstones block one of the biliary ducts, the result is inflammation and swelling of the organs "upstream" of the blocked duct. This complication alone can cause symptoms and warrants treatment, possible surgery.
- If untreated, it can lead to more serious conditions such as infection and damage to the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas.
Gallstones
A visual of what gallstones look like.
Area
One of the few areas gallstones affects.
Gallstones 2.
Another visual of gallstones.
Links.
eMedicine.com. Cholelithiasis.
http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/774352-overview
http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/tc/gallstones-symptoms