Gallstone Blockage: Choledocholithiasis Causes Severe Complications
A serious condition, choledocholithiasis, occurs when gallstones block the common bile duct. This can lead to severe pain, jaundice, and fever. Prompt diagnosis and treatment by a specialist, often a gastroenterologist or hepatobiliary surgeon, is crucial to prevent life-threatening complications.
Gallstones, hard deposits formed in the gallbladder due to excess bilirubin or cholesterol in bile, can travel through the bile duct. If one blocks the common bile duct, it results in choledocholithiasis. This tube, connecting the gallbladder to the small intestine, carries bile produced by the liver to aid in fat digestion.
Diagnosis is typically made using ultrasound or endoscopic procedures like ERCP. The latter not only diagnoses but also provides therapeutic stone removal. Physicians specializing in this area are gastroenterologists or surgeons specializing in hepatobiliary diseases.
Choledocholithiasis, a blockage of the common bile duct by gallstones, can cause severe pain, jaundice, and fever. Prompt diagnosis and treatment by a specialist are vital to prevent life-threatening complications. If left untreated, it can be life-threatening.
