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Question

A 47-year-old obese woman presented with on and off epigastric pain for 4 months. The pain was dull in nature and aggravated by fatty meals. Physical examination was essentially normal.

Laboratory investigations showed normal liver function and white cell count. An abdominal x-ray was performed as a routine initial investigation.What can be the most possible diagnosis?

A. Gall Stone

B. Kidney Stone

C. Hepatic Calcification

D. Renal Tuberculosis

 

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Correct Answer » A

Explanation

Ans:A. Gall Stone

Image shows:Abdominal radiograph showing faceted calcification in the right upper quadrant suggestive of gallstone (arrow).

CHOLELITHIASIS

PATHOGENESIS:

Lithogenic bile
  • Normal ratio of bile acids : cholesterol = 25:1
  • critical ratio < 13 : 1
  • Increased cholesterol
  • Decreased bile salts
  • Decreased entero hepatic circulation
Stasis
  • Prolonged TPN
  • Fasting
  • Pregnancy
  • Drugs- octreotide, estrogen therapy
  • Burns
  • Vagotomy

PREDISPOSING FACTOR:

Cholesterol stones
  • Old age
  • Female sex, pregnancy
  • Obesity, Hyperlipidemia
  • Rapid weight reduction
  • Drugs: OCPs, Estrogen, Clofibrate, Cholestyramine
  • Gall bladder hypomotility (TPN, fasting, pregnancy, octreotide)
  • Diabetes mellitus
  • Spinal cord injury
  • High calorie diet, High fat diet
  • Chronic hemolytic disease (sickle cell anemia, spherocytosis)
  • Ileal resection or disease
  • Cystic fibrosis
  • Chronic liver disease
  • Crohn’s disease
  • Prolonged parenteral nutrition
  • Prematurity with complicated medical or surgical course
  • Prolonged fasting or rapid weight reduction
  • Treatment of childhood cancer
  • Abdominal surgery
  • Pregnancy

Pigment stones

Black pigment Brown pigment
  • Insoluble bilirubin with calcium phosphate and calcium bicarbonate
  • Usually in sterile GB
  • Small, multiple and hard
  • Haemolytic states – hereditary spherocytosis, sickle cell disease, thalassemia, malaria
  • Mechanical heart valves
  • Calcium bilirubinate, calcium palmitate, calcium stearate and cholesterol
  • Formed in biliary tree
  • Commonly due to infection (MC-E.coli)
  • Presence of stents
  • Parasites (Ascaris lumbricoides and Clonorchis sinensis)

Clinical Features:

  • 5 Fs: Flat, Fertile, Flatulent, Female, Forty
  • Commonest type of gall stone is mixed
  • Childhood cholelithiasis is seen in Neimann Pick’s disease
  • Illeo cecal junction is the most common site of intestinal obstruction caused by a gall stone
  • Biliary colic with periodicity, severe within hours after meal (commonest presentation)
  • The Gall stone pain is referred to the shoulder through C3-05
  • Dyspepsia is a common symptom
  • Cholesterol stones are mostly radio-lucent
  • Gall stones contains Cholestrol, Phosphate, Carbonate
  • Pigment stones are mostly radio opaque
  • No resolution of symptoms, fever and leucocytosis Acute cholecystitis
  • The commonest site of obstruction in Gall stone ileus is Distal ileum
  • Centre of the stone may contain radiolucent gas which is either triradiate (Mercedes Benz sign) or biradiate (Seagull sign)
  • GB may be filled with toothpaste like material(calcium carbonate + phosphate) – limey gall bladder
  • Bouveret’s syndrome or gallstone ileus- a large stone may erode directly into an adjacent loop of small bowel causing intestinal obstruction.

Management:

Management

  • Investigation of choice – USG
  • Best investigation for diagnosis of ampullary gall stone with obstructive jaundice is ERCP
  • 10% Percent of gall stones are radio opaque
  • Prophylactic cholecystectomy can be considered in
  • Diabetic patients
  • Congenital haemolytic anemia
  • Patients undergoing Bariatric surgery
  • The treatment priority should focus on relief of obstruction and not on gall bladder and its fistulous communication
  • Multiple Gall stones & 8 mm dilation with 4 stones in CBD, best treatment modalities are Cholecystectomy with choledocholithotomy at same setting
  • Elective open cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis is the surgical procedures is considered to have a clean-contaminated wound
  • Cholecystectomy if it is asymptomatic but develops biliary colic
  • Symptomatic gallstones are the main indication for cholecystectomy.
  • Absolute contraindications for the procedure are uncontrolled coagulopathy and end-stage liver disease.
  • Medical therapy for gall stone dissolution utilizes two bile acids
  • Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA)
  • Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA)
  • For patients with serious comorbid conditions not responding to conservative treatment – percutaneous cholecystostomy is performed under USG control, which will rapidly relieve the symptoms. A subsequent cholecystectomy is usually required
  • Recurrent attacks of cholelithiasis, U/S examination shows a dilated CBD of 1 cm is best treated with ERCP
  • Surgery: lap cholecystectomy or open cholecystectomy through right subcostal Kocher’s incision
  • Open cholecystectomy for cholelithiasis is considered a clean contaminated wound
  • Indication for medical treatment in gall stone is stone
  • size less than 15mm,
  • Radioluscent stones,
  • Functioning gall bladder,
  • Non acute symptoms
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