Gallstones Specialists in Maharashtra

What is Gallstones?

Gallstones are hardened deposits that form within the gallbladder, a small organ that stores bile used to help digest fats, when substances in bile such as cholesterol or bilirubin crystallise and clump together. They can range in size from tiny grains to stones as large as a golf ball, and a person may have just one or many at a time. Many people with gallstones experience no symptoms at all and the stones are discovered incidentally during imaging for other reasons, while others develop significant pain when a stone blocks the flow of bile out of the gallbladder. When gallstones cause blockage or inflammation, they can lead to complications including infection of the gallbladder, pancreatitis, or blockage of the bile ducts, all of which require prompt medical attention. Surgical removal of the gallbladder is the definitive treatment for symptomatic gallstones and is generally very well tolerated.

Causes of Gallstones

Caused by an imbalance in the substances that make up bile, most often excess cholesterol that crystallises into stones, or excess bilirubin in conditions involving increased red blood cell breakdown. Risk factors include female sex, obesity, rapid weight loss, pregnancy, a diet high in fat and low in fibre, and family history of gallstones. Certain conditions such as diabetes and liver disease, as well as prolonged fasting, can also increase the likelihood of stone formation.

Symptoms of Gallstones

Sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen, pain that may radiate to the back or right shoulder, nausea and vomiting, bloating after fatty meals, jaundice if bile ducts are blocked, fever and chills if infection develops, often asymptomatic when stones are small and not obstructing

Treatment & Types of Gallstones in Maharashtra

Asymptomatic gallstones discovered incidentally often require no treatment beyond monitoring, while symptomatic gallstones are typically treated with surgical removal of the gallbladder, most commonly performed using minimally invasive laparoscopic techniques. Medications to dissolve certain types of gallstones exist but are less commonly used due to limited effectiveness and high recurrence rates. Complications such as blocked bile ducts may require an additional procedure to clear the obstruction before or during gallbladder removal.

Gallstones are classified by composition into cholesterol stones, the most common type, formed from excess cholesterol in bile, and pigment stones, formed from excess bilirubin, which are further divided into black pigment stones, linked to conditions causing increased red blood cell breakdown, and brown pigment stones, usually linked to bile duct infection. The clinical significance also depends on stone location, whether confined to the gallbladder or having migrated into the bile duct, which determines urgency and treatment approach.

Gastroenterology Specialists in Maharashtra (1)

Frequently Asked Questions