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Liver stones, also known as intrahepatic gallstones, are large and small stones or in the form of mud stones, appearing in the intrahepatic bile duct, right hepatic duct and left hepatic duct. So are liver stones dangerous or not? What causes liver stones?1. What are liver stones?
Liver stones, also known as intrahepatic gallstones, are large and small stones or in the form of mud stones, appearing in the intrahepatic bile duct, right hepatic duct and left hepatic duct. These stones are made of bilirubin. Liver stones are quite common in Asia. In Vietnam, the incidence of liver stones accounts for 15-30% of cases of gallstones.
2. What causes liver stones? Liver stones are pigment stones, with the main component being bilirubin, in the form of tablets and mud, usually yellow-green, concentrated in clusters or scattered in the biliary tract deep in the liver parenchyma. Liver stones are caused by some of the following reasons:
Infection of bile: This is the main cause of liver stones. When the patient is infected with parasites, intestinal worms, this organism can enter the bile ducts, causing bile duct obstruction, changing the ability to dissolve bilirubin in bile and causing bilirubin accumulation to form stones. Intrahepatic cholestasis in individuals with congenital biliary atresia or intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma. People with hemolytic disease, destroyed red blood cells release a large amount of bilirubin, increasing the risk of bilirubin stone formation in the bile ducts. People who are obese, have metabolic disorders, and are inactive can reduce biliary motility and easily accumulate bile. Long-term use of lipid-modifying drugs and oral contraceptives. Some less common causes, related to liver dysfunction such as cirrhosis, hepatitis A, B, C virus or drug-induced hepatitis...
3. Symptoms of liver stones
Signs and symptoms of liver stones often vary from person to person, depending on the location and size of the stone. If gallstones have no obvious symptoms, the clinical symptoms of liver stones are quite specific. In the early stage when the stones are small, the patient may have some symptoms such as: Abdominal bloating, indigestion after eating and mild pain in the right lower quadrant. These signs are often not clear and sometimes make patients confused with stomach diseases.
Later on, when the liver stones move, the symptoms of the disease appear more obvious. Usually, the patient will experience typical symptoms such as:
Right flank pain: The pain appears in the right flank area, the pain often starts suddenly after the patient eats a greasy meal or the pain occurs. It occurs at night, making the patient unable to sleep. The pain may radiate to the right shoulder and to the back. Fever and chills: This is a symptom that appears when the patient has a biliary tract infection. Patients may have a mild, smoldering fever or a high fever of 39-40 degrees Celsius. Jaundice, yellow eyes, discolored stools: These symptoms are encountered when there is a blockage of the bile ducts. In addition, the patient may have symptoms such as anorexia, fear of fat, thinness and weight loss concurrently with the above 3 symptoms. When having these symptoms, the patient should go to a reputable medical facility to be examined and treated promptly by a specialist.
4. Are liver stones dangerous or not? Liver stones are very dangerous. Therefore, early detection and treatment of liver stones is very important to prevent life-threatening complications. Some dangerous complications of liver stones include:
Purulent cholangitis: The most common complication. Repeated purulent inflammation makes it difficult to treat, the risk of patients becoming resistant to antibiotics after each treatment is increasing. When purulent inflammation is repeated, it can cause fibrosis, narrowing of the biliary tract, liver abscess, secondary biliary cirrhosis, and even in some cases, death from sepsis and liver failure. heavy liver. Cholangiocarcinoma: The rate of liver stones causing cholangiocarcinoma accounts for about 3.0-4.3%, especially in patients with recurrent stones. Cause by stones can damage the biliary wall, stimulate the biliary cells to proliferate abnormal cells. Liver damage: When bile is stagnation due to gallstones, the products contained in bile are not excreted out, stagnation causes liver dysfunction, elevated liver enzymes, increasing the risk of inflammation. liver, cirrhosis and liver cancer.
5. What is the treatment for liver stones?
Some ways to treat liver stones are prescribed by doctors such as:
Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): This method is often applied to patients when the bile ducts are not narrowed, the size of stones in the bile ducts large, can be interfered with. Using this method, the surgeon can remove the stone in the common bile duct, reducing the pressure in the bile duct. Laparoscopic percutaneous gallstone lithotripsy: This method is performed by creating a tunnel through the skin to the liver, then the interventional doctor will insert the endoscope into the lithotripsy, use an irrigation device or use a gabion to pick up stones. go out. This is a method that requires the operator to have a high level of technique, skill and experience, otherwise it is very easy to have complications leading to peritonitis or blood infection. Open surgery to remove stones: This method is used when other less invasive methods cannot be performed alone, can combine procedures for optimal efficiency. However, it depends on the patient's condition to give the appropriate treatment. Hepatectomy: Doctors recommend this method when all other treatments are no longer effective and suitable for female patients. However, a part of the liver that is cut off can affect the function of bile production, elimination of toxins, glucose metabolism, etc. for patients All the above treatment methods must be indicated. prescribed and performed by highly qualified and experienced doctors and fully equipped medical facilities. Therefore, patients need to absolutely adhere to the treatment regimen set out by the doctor at reputable medical facilities.
6. How to prevent liver stones? Liver stones can be dangerous for patients when not detected early and treated promptly. However, patients who know how to prevent the risk of stone recurrence will minimize the complications caused by stones. Here are some useful tips, patients can refer to:
Patients should quit smoking, pipe tobacco, avoid using alcohol, beer and stimulants. Diet: Make sure to eat lots of green vegetables, fruits, increase fiber, drink lots of water, reduce foods high in fat, cholesterol, fried, fried, canned foods. Ensure food hygiene and safety, avoid eating raw and cold foods, so you don't get worms and parasites from food. Deworming every 6 months to avoid the risk of infection by helminths. Lifestyle: Increase daily exercise such as walking, running, cycling, yoga to help increase biliary activity, avoid cholestasis in the liver, should exercise 30-45 minutes/day regularly to have a healthy body. Hopefully the above information will help readers better understand what liver stones are? Patients should have a health checkup every 6 months or annually to screen for risk factors for liver stones as well as detect disease early (if any) for timely treatment.
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