Gallstones, also known as cholelithiasis, are solid deposits of digestive fluid in the gallbladder, a small organ that sits just below the liver.Normally, bile drains from the liver into the small intestine where it helps digest food. Between meals, bile is stored in the gallbladder. Sometimes bile hardens and forms gallstones. Gallstones range in size from small grains to the size of a lemon.Although the condition is more common in adults, about 2 percent of children of children are diagnosed with gallstones. The incidence is increasing especially in the urban areas
Many people have gallstones without realizing it. Sometimes, however, the gallbladder becomes inflamed or a gallstone moves into a duct or passageway, creating a blockage. When this happens, the child may have abdominal pain and nausea, vomiting and/or fever.
There are different types of gallstones:
Girls are at higher risk than boys of developing gallstones. Other than gender, a number of factors can cause gallstones to form. The most common causes in children include:
Often, people have gallstones but no symptoms. If gallstones become symptomatic, the gallbladder typically needs to be removed. Symptoms often flare up after meals, especially meals high in fat or grease.
Symptoms include:
Gallstones must be treated with surgery to remove the gallbladder.
It's called laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and it's a minimally invasive procedure and is done under general anaesthesia. During surgery four smallband-aid sized incisions are made on the child's abdomen, through which a telescope is passed to observe the operation as it is performed with instruments placed through the other three openings.
Rarely, an "open" procedure through an incision below the ribs may be necessary. This may be required if there is scarring, inflammation, bleeding or unusual anatomy of the common bile duct which prevents safe performance of the laparoscopy.
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