The Gallbladder and Extrahepatic Bile Ducts Flashcards
Condition in which there are stones w/i the gall bladder lumen or in the extrahepatic biliary tree?
Cholelithiasis
Typical composition of gallstones?
Cholesterol (in industrialized countries); Calcium bilirubinate, other calcium salts
What populations are risk of gallstones more common?
Pregnant women and women using oral contraceptives
What is lithogenic bile?
Bile composed of supersaturated cholesterol with low levels of bile salts resulting in cholesterol stone precipitation
Factors associated with increased biliary cholesterol secretion?
- Increasing age
- Obesity
- Ethnicity
- Familial predisposition
- Diet high in calories and cholesterol
- Metabolic anormalities with hypercholesterolemia
Gross appearance of pigment stones?
Brown or black
RFs for black pigment stones?
- Chronic hemolysis (sickle cell anemia, thalassemia)
- Age
- Malnourishment
Typical cause of brown stones?
Bacterial cholangitis (E. coli is main cause)
What do most complications of cholelithiasis relate to?
Obstruction of the cystic or common bile ducts
Gallstone entering the common duct?
Choledocholithiasis
In what scenario is acute cholecytitis observed?
People with gallstones
Complete obstruction of the cystic duct allowing bacteria to invade the gallbladder?
Empyema of the gallbladder
Typical presenting Syx of acute cholecystitis?
RUQ pain
Most common disease of the gall baldder?
Chronic cholecystitis
Longstanding inflammation may lead to calcification of the gallbladder?
Porcelain gallbladder
