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Choledocholithiasis is the presence of a gallstone in the common bile duct. The stone may consist of bile pigments or calcium and cholesterol salts.
Alternative NamesGallstone in the bile duct; Bile duct stone
Causes, incidence, and risk factorsAbout 15% of people with gallstones will develop stones in the common bile duct, the small tube that carries bile from the gallbladder to the intestine.
Risk factors include a previous medical history of gallstones. However, choledocholithiasis can occur in people who have had their gallbladder removed.
SymptomsSymptoms usually do not occur unless the stone blocks the common bile duct. Symptoms that may occur include:
- Abdominal painin the right upper or middle upper abdomen that may:
- Come and go
- Be sharp, cramping, or dull
- Spread to the back or below the right shoulder blade
- Get worse after eating fatty or greasy foods
- Occurs within minutes of a meal
- Fever
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice(yellowing of skin and whites of eyes)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
Tests that show the location of stones in the bile duct include the following:
- Abdominal CT scan
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Endoscope retrograde cholangiography (ERCP)
- Endoscopic ultrasound
- Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)
- Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTCA)
Your doctor may order the following blood tests:
- Bilirubin
- Liver function tests
- Pancreatic enzymes
The goal of treatment is to relieve the blockage.
Treatment may involve:
- Surgery to remove the gallbladder and stones
- ERCP and a procedure called a sphincterotomy, which makes a surgical cut into the muscle in the common bile duct
Blockage and infection caused by stones in the biliary tract can be life threatening. However, with prompt diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is usually very good.
Complications- Biliary cirrhosis
- Cholangitis
- Pancreatitis
Call for an appointment with your health care provider if abdominal pain with or without fever develops that is not attributable to other causes, if jaundice develops, or if other symptoms suggestive of choledocholithiasis occur.
ReferencesVerma D. EUS vs MRCP for detection of choledocholithiasis. Gastrointest Endosc. 2006;64(2):248-254.
Chari RS, Shah SA. Biliary system. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery.18th ed. St. Louis, Mo: WB Saunders; 2008:chap. 54.
Afdhal N. Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap. 159.
What else can I help you with?
Can a gastric endoscopy detect choledocholithiasis?
yes
Which test demonstrate choledocholithiasis?
transhepatic cholangiography
Which test would demostrate choledocholithiasis?
A test that could demonstrate choledocholithiasis is an MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography) or an ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography). These tests can visualize the bile ducts and detect the presence of stones. Additionally, an ultrasound or a CT scan may also be helpful in diagnosing choledocholithiasis.
What four diseases make up gallstone disease?
The four diseases that make up gallstone disease are cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder), choledocholithiasis (stones in the common bile duct), cholangitis (inflammation of the bile duct), and pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas).
The condition of stones in the ureter?
A condition of stones in the common bile duct is called cholelithiasis. Cholelithiasis refers to the presence of gallstones in a persons gallbladder or bile duct
How do you tell if some one has choledochlithiasis?
Choledocholithiasis is when gallstones have escaped from the gallbladder and have become lodged in the much smaller bile ducts that drain the liver and gallbladder. Picked up with MRI scan or ultrasound
What is the medical term meaning the condition of stones in the duct system of the pancreas?
Cholecystolithiasis is the abnormal condition of stones in the gallbladder. Choledocholithiasis is the abnormal condition of stones in the common bile duct.
What is the medical terminology combining form meaning common bile duct?
choledocho, as in choledocholithiasis (stone in the CBD)The combining for for bile duct is Choladoch/o
What are three ways in which a patient can become jaundiced?
1: Excessive destruction of erythrocytes, as in hemolysis, causes excess bilirubin in the blood.2: Malfunction of Liver Cells (Hepatocytes) because of Liver disease prevents the Liver from excreting bilirubin with bile.3: Obstruction of bile flow, such as from choledocholithiasis or tumor, prevents bilirubin in bile from being excreted into the duodenum.
What is the medical term meaning a stone made from substances in bile?
The stones are called Cholesterol stones (made from cholesterol-green/yellow color) or pigmented stones (which are made from bilirubin- blackish tarry color)
What is cystolithiasis?
Cystolithiasis is the presence of a stone in a bladder ("cysto" refers to the bladder, "lithiasis" refers to stones). Since there are two bladders in the body -- the gallbladder and the urinary bladder -- the term cystolithiasis technically does not specify which one. However, it usually refers to stones in the urinary bladder.Having stones in the gallbladder is a condition that's given its own name: cholecystolithiasis ("chole" refers to bile). However, with gallstones, the term usually used is simply cholelithiasis. If the stone happens to be in the common bile duct, then the term choledocholithiasis is used.Ah, the sweet arbitrariness of medical terminology. :-)
Who needs to have Laparoscopic Gallbladder surgery?
So one need laparoscopic gallbladder surgery if he/she has the followings: Cholelithiasis, i.e. presence of one or more stones in the gallbladder. Cholecystitis, which is an inflammation of the gallbladder. types – acute, chronic and gangrenous. Gallbladder Polyp Cholesterolosis of Gall bladder Adenomyomatosis of the Gall bladder Biliary dyskinesia, which said to be occurred when the gallbladder doesn’t empty bile correctly due to genetic defect. Choledocholithiasis, which occurs when gallstones move to the common bile duct and obstruct the biliary flow resulting in jaundice. Gallstone Pancreatitis, which is an inflammation of the pancreas resulting from gallstones.
