Gallbladder Diseases - Types, Symptoms, and Treatment

Introduction:

A gallbladder is a small organ located under the liver. It stores bile and, on digestion, releases it into the small intestine. Bile is a yellowish fluid made by the liver. It helps the human body to break down, digest fat, and remove excess waste. Several issues can affect the gallbladder. For example, excess bile formation can prevent the gallbladder from emptying and can cause infection and inflammation of the gallbladder. As a result, gallbladder stones are the most common disease occurring in people and can cause pain and inflammation. It can be treated with medications and surgery. The article discusses gallbladder issues, types, symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

What Are Gallbladder Diseases?

The term gallbladder refers to the condition that affects the gallbladder. It is a small pear-shaped sac that helps in digestion. It is a part of the digestive system. The gallbladder's primary function is to store the bile produced by the liver, pass it through the bile duct and send it to the small intestine, which helps break down the food. Gallbladder diseases include the gallbladder and the bile duct connected to it. Blockage or infection of the bile duct may involve the other organs because the bile duct connects the gallbladder with the other digestive system organs. In addition, due to the irritation of the gallbladder walls, there may be inflammation or infection of the gallbladder. Severe illness may lead to tissue destruction.

What Are the Types of Gallbladder Diseases?

Several different types of gallbladder diseases include

• Gallstone: Gallbladder gallstones are the most common cause people face in the world. However, they only sometimes cause issues. Gallstones develop when the substances in the bile, like cholesterol, and from the blood, like bilirubin, form into hard lumps and block the passage to the gallbladder and bile duct. They cause an issue when there is a lack of flow of the bile duct. Gallstones are also known as cholelithiasis.

• Cholecystitis: Cholecystitis is the inflammation of the gallbladder. It is the most common symptom of gallbladder disease. The infection and inflammation may be due to the bile duct blockage of the gallbladder. It may be acute or chronic. The gallstones cause acute cholecystitis. Several strikes of acute cholecystitis may shrink the gallbladder and block the bile's release. It may cause severe complications if left untreated.

• Choledocholithiasis: The condition occurs when the gallstones are in the bile duct and the neck of the gallbladder. This may lead to inflammation of the gallbladder. In addition, the bile duct will prevent the bile from moving from the liver to the small intestine and may cause pain in the abdomen, fever, nausea, and vomiting.

• Biliary Dyskinesia: It is a disorder of the functional gallbladder. The gallbladder is not able to remove excess bile from the bile duct. It causes the bile to get back into the gallbladder leading to chronic inflammation.

• Gangrene: Gangrene of the gallbladder is the most common symptom of cholecystitis. Swelling due to chronic inflammation may lead to tissue death. Dead tissues may tear and burst the gallbladder wall and cause the risk of abdominal wall infection.

• Gallbladder Cancer: Gallbladder cancer is a rare disease. There are different types of gallbladder cancer. They can be treated but are challenging to diagnose because the symptoms do not develop until later.

• Gallbladder Polyps: It is the tumor growth within the gallbladder. If the polyp is more than one centimeter, then surgery is recommended. This is because there are more chances of the polyp becoming cancerous.

• Cholangiopathy: It is a disease of bile ducts. It begins with the inflammation of the bile ducts resulting from infection, blockage, or autoimmune disorder. It can result in narrowing or scarring of the bile ducts and leave the bile in the liver and gallbladder.

• Acalculous Gallbladder Disease: The disease is an inflammation of the gallbladder. Some medical conditions, burns, trauma, and heart surgery may trigger the illness.

• Sclerosing Cholangitis: The disease leads to damage and scarring to the bile duct system. Some people with this condition have ulcerative colitis (which affects the gastrointestinal tract).

• Gallbladder Abscess: When the gallbladder is inflamed with pus, including dead tissue, white blood cells, and bacteria. It occurs due to the blockage of the gallbladder due to the gallstones.

What Are the Signs and Symptoms of Gallbladder Disease?

The typical symptom of biliary colic gallbladder disease is intermittent pain in the upper right abdomen that may radiate to the upper back. In addition, some patients may feel pain near the breastbone. Finally, there can be nausea and vomiting. In the case of gallbladder stones, there will be severe pain in the right upper abdomen and pain increase in the breath. Other symptoms include fever, nausea, and vomiting. Symptoms of chronic gallbladder disease include abdominal pain after meals, diarrhea, gas, and nausea. Other symptoms include fever, chills, rapid heart rate, dark urine, light stools, jaundice, and a decrease in blood pressure.

How Can Gallbladder Disease Be Diagnosed?

The doctor may ask about the medical history and physically examine the abdomen for pain in breathing. Then, the doctor may advise some tests to diagnose the condition, including.

• Complete Blood Count: The test shows an increase in the white blood cells, indicating an infection or inflammation.

• Liver Function Test: The test will help detect bile duct blockage.

• Ultrasound: The doctor may recommend an abdominal ultrasound to detect the blockage and growth in the gallbladder.

• HIDA Scan (Hepatobiliary Iminodiacetic Acid): The test will measure the flow of bile in the bile duct and its function in the small intestine.

• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography: The endoscopy will use the camera to visualize the blockage of bile ducts.

How Can Gallbladder Disease Be Managed?

Gallbladder disease can be managed by the following:

• Lifestyle Changes: Some health conditions, like being overweight and having diabetes, may worsen the disease. Increasing physical activity, and quitting smoking and alcohol may help decrease gallstone formation.

• Medications: The doctor may prescribe pain medications and antibiotics to limit the pain and inflammation. The medicines like Morphine, Ibuprofen, Codeine, and Hydrocodone.

• Surgery: The permanent solution for chronic gallbladder disease is the removal of the gallbladder. The surgeon may remove the gallbladder by opening the abdomen or through laparoscopic surgery. It is a minimally invasive surgery in which the camera is inserted through a small incision. The camera sends the image to the monitor.

How to Reduce the Risk of Gallbladder Disease?

The risk of several gallbladder diseases can be prevented by maintaining lifestyle changes. By avoiding high-fatty acid food, smoking and alcohol, and maintaining healthy food, people may resume their life to normal within a few months.

Conclusion:

Gallbladder disease is the most common and severe disease. Most gallbladder diseases are easily treated, and some require surgery. Some gallbladder disease does not show symptoms, and some show at later stages, like gallbladder cancer. The most common symptom associated with the condition is abdominal and back pain. Healthcare providers may locate the problem through diagnostic procedures. Early detection and treatment may prevent further complications.