Why is it important to know the size of your gallstone?

 

According to a laparoscopic gallbladder surgeon in Kolkata, gallstones are quite common, and gallbladder surgery is one of the most common surgical treatments performed in India. When gallstones become symptomatic, creating what is commonly referred to as a gallstone "attack," the most dependable type of therapy is gallbladder ectomy.

When patients initially experience gallstone discomfort, they are frequently directed to an imaging clinic for a thorough abdomen ultrasound to confirm the existence of a gallstone or gallbladder illness and rule out any other abdominal disease. 

Importance of the size of gallstone

Gallstones can be as little as a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. According to the best gallstone surgeon in Kolkata, the size may also be like a single enormous gallstone. Hundreds of smaller stones or both small and large stones can form in the gallbladder. Gallstones can cause severe upper right abdominal discomfort. This discomfort, known as a gallbladder attack or biliary colic, develops when gallstones obstruct the biliary tract's channels. 

Gallstones are caused by imbalances in the chemicals that make up bile. Gallstones can develop when there is too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, or not enough bile salts in the bile. Scientists are still puzzled as to why these imbalances develop. Gallstones can also occur if the gallbladder is not emptying fully or frequently enough.

Gallstones are classified into two types: cholesterol stones and pigment stones.

Cholesterol stones are typically yellow-green in appearance and are made up largely of hardened cholesterol. More than 80% of gallstones are cholesterol stones. Whereas pigment stones are dark in colour and made of bilirubin. 

Is there any normal size of gallstone?

No, there is no normal size of gallstone. Whether you have hundreds of tiny gallstones or one enormous-sized gallstone, the impact will be the same. Hence, the size of the gallstone matters only when doctors perform gallstone removal surgeries. 

Finally, regardless of the size of the stone, it is essential to treat symptomatic stones as soon as possible since delaying the treatment can lead to serious gallbladder issues. Patients who choose to have their gallstones removed by a laparoscopic gallbladder surgeon in Kolkata, have fewer issues and a faster recovery time.