Four Stages Of Cholelithiasis

Cholelithiasis is an inflammation of the gallbladder, muscular organ that serves as a reservoir for bile. In humans, it is a pear-shaped membranous sac on the undersurface of the right lobe of the liver just below the lower ribs. The inflammation involves solidification of gallstones in the biliary tract, usually in the gallbladder. Therefore, the gallstone can cause obstruction of the cystic duct. Cholelithiasis is the pathologic state of stones or calculi within the gallbladder lumen. Gallstone disease has four stages such as, the lithogenic state, in which conditions favor gallstone formation, asymptomatic gallstones, symptomatic gallstones, characterized by episodes of biliary colic, and the complicated cholelithiasis (Portincasa, Moschetta,
& Palasciano, 2015).
Gallstones are crystalline structures formed by hardening or adherence of particles, accumulation of normal or abnormal bile constituents.
According to various theories, there are four possible explanations for stone formation. First, bile may undergo a change in composition. Second, gallbladder stasis may lead stasis. Third, infection may predispose a person to stone formation. Fourth, genetic sand demography can affect stone formation (2015).
Some risk factors are associated with gallstones include heredity, obesity, rapid weight loss, through diet or surgery, age over 60, female is more common than men to develop gallstone disease. Women with high estrogen levels, as a result of pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or the use of birth control pills, are at high risk for gallstone formation, diet very low calorie, prolonged fasting, and low-fiber, high-cholesterol, and high-starch diets all contribute to gallstone formation (Martin, 2014).
Initially, some patients don’t present symptoms; however, as the disease progresses patient can experience pain that is localized to the epigastrium area or right upper quadrant, sometimes radiating to the right scapular tip. The presence of fever, persistent tachycardia, hypotension, or jaundice could represent complications such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, and pancreatitis
(2014).
Some patients in the emergency room complaint that the pain does not relieved by emesis, antacids, defecation, flatus, or positional changes; and sometimes accompanied by diaphoresis, nausea, and vomiting. Others present nonspecific symptoms such as, indigestion, dyspepsia, belching, or bloating.
Diagnosis tests may include not limit studies such as complete blood count (CBC) with differential, liver function panel, amylase, lipase, and imaging also may be useful and include the following: abdominal radiography upright and supine to rule out other causes of abdominal pain for example, intestinal obstruction. Moreover, ultrasonography is the procedure of choice in suspected gallbladder or biliary disease. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP) is usually reserved for cases in which choledocholithiasis is suspected (McCance & Huether, 2014).
The only treatment that cures gallbladder disease is the surgical procedure cholecystectomy, the removal of the gallbladder. Generally, the gallbladder is infected and inflamed, removal of the organ is necessary. Pain medication can be used as palliative care.