Gallbladder diseases occur if there is infection, inflammation, tumours, stone formation, and blockage of the gallbladder.
Some of the types of gallbladder diseases include:
Cholecystitis
It is the inflammation of the gallbladder, which causes severe abdominal pain. There are two types; acute and chronic cholecystitis. Acute cholecystitis occurs if inflammation or gallstones block the flow of bile. Chronic cholecystitis is caused by repeated attacks of acute Cholecystitis, which cause the walls of the gallbladder to thicken.
Cholelithiasis
It is caused due to presence of one or more gallstones inside the gallbladder. These stones are made up of cholesterol or bilirubin (pigment of the bile). It more commonly occurs in women than men.
Acalculous Gallbladder Disease
It is an inflammatory disease of the gallbladder that shows symptoms of the stones, but when examined provides no evidence of gallstones. It results when there is reduced blood supply or inability of the gallbladder to empty the bile.
Gangrenous Gallbladder
Destruction of the tissue in the gallbladder due to inadequate blood supply can lead to gangrenous gallbladder. Inflammation of the gallbladder caused due to blockage of bile by gall stones can lead to gangrenous gallbladder, often associated with diabetes.
Gallbladder Polyps
Is the growth of tissue that protrudes from the lining of the gallbladder. These polyps when larger than 10mm in diameter are more likely to cause cancer if untreated.
Sclerosing Cholangitis
It is a chronic liver disease caused by progressive inflammation, scarring, and destruction of the bile ducts inside and outside of the liver.
Congenital Defects of the Gallbladder
Congenital defects of the gallbladder such as abnormal or unusual positioning of gallbladder, presence of double gallbladder, cyst formation and other anomalies may occur during the development of gallbladder.
Tumours
Benign or malignant tumours may be found in the gallbladder. Benign tumours include fibromas, lipomas and haemangiomas. Commonly occurring malignant tumours include adenocarcinoma, / cholangiocarcinoma.
Gallstones
Gallstones are small stones made up of cholesterol or bilirubin (pigment of the bile) that can form in your gallbladder. People who have gallstones may experience nausea, vomiting, or pain in the abdomen, back, or just below the right arm. Cholecystectomy is a surgical procedure to remove gallbladder. It is either performed laparoscopically or through open surgery. An intra operative cholangiogram is often performed to reveal stones in the biliary system.
