Overview
Biliary colic and cholecystitis are in the spectrum of biliary tract disease. This spectrum ranges from asymptomatic gallstones to biliary colic, cholecystitis, choledocholithiasis, and cholangitis.
Gallstones can be divided into 2 categories: Cholesterol stones (80%) and pigment stones (20%). Most patients with gallstones are asymptomatic. Stones may temporarily obstruct the cystic duct or pass through into the common bile duct, leading to symptomatic biliary colic, which develops in 1-4% of patients with gallstones annually.
Cholecystitis occurs when obstruction at the cystic duct is prolonged (usually several hours) resulting in inflammation of the gallbladder wall. Acute cholecystitis develops in approximately 20% of patients with biliary colic if they are left untreated.
However, the incidence of acute cholecystitis is falling, likely due to increased acceptance by patients of laparoscopic cholecystectomy as a treatment of symptomatic gallstones.
Choledocholithiasis occurs when the stone becomes lodged in the common bile duct, with the potential sequelae of cholangitis and ascending infections.
Biliary sludge is a reversible suspension of precipitated particulate matter in bile in a viscous mucous liquid phase. The most common precipitates are cholesterol monohydrate crystals and various calcium-based crystals, granules, and salts.
A portion of biliary sludge contains comparatively large particles (1-3 mm) called microliths, the formation of which is an intermediate step in the formation of gallstones (about 12.5%).
For patient education information, see the Digestive Disorders Center and Gallstones.
Go to Cholecystitis for more information on this topic.