Gallstones – Complications

Transcript

There are several complications associated with gallstones. If a gallstone becomes stuck in the gallbladder’s neck or cystic duct, it can cause the gallbladder to become inflamed. This condition is known as Coli cystitis. Patients who suffer from Coli cystitis often find that they experience severe pain and fever as part of the condition. Gallstones can also block the common bile duct. This is a condition known as acute cholangitis. And it means that the bile cannot flow from the gallbladder into the small intestine. This can be a potentially fatal condition and patients should seek immediate medical attention. Any bile duct blockage can cause several complications, including bile duct infection, jaundice, and severe pain, especially in the right upper stomach or mid right to the back. In addition to causing blockages in the gallbladder, gallstones can also block the pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct runs from the pancreas connecting to the common bile duct before entering into the duodenum. This is important as your pancreatic juices that aid in digestion flow through the pancreatic duct. When the duct is blocked, that juices get backed up in the pancreas, leading to pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas. Patients with pancreatitis usually require hospitalization to treat the constant and intense abdominal pain that they may experience.