Biliary colic, more commonly known as gallbladder disease, is a condition in which the flow of the bile that is stored in the gallbladder sac is obstructed or otherwise cut off. This can be because of a number of things, including inflammation, infection and gallbladder stones. There are two types of biliary colic: cholecystitis and cholelithiasis. Treatment depends on the type of colic.
Cholecystitis
Cholecystitis is caused by an inflammation in the gallbladder that results in severe abdominal pain. According to the University of Maryland Medical Center, 90 percent of acute cases of cholecystitis are the result of stone blocking the release of bile. Illness, alcohol abuse and tumors cover the other 10 percent.
Treatment of Cholecystitis
The severity of the abdominal pain associated with cholecystitis should drive you to go to the hospital. Once your doctor determines that you have cholecystitis, he will prescribe fluids and antibiotics. Most of time, cholecystitis will take care of itself through a healthy dose of antibiotics and pain medications. If not, surgery to remove the gallbladder is required. Further complications, such as gangrene, pancreatitis and bile duct inflammation, could require emergency surgery.
Cholelithiasis
In cholelithiasis, stones cause the blockage of the gallbladder. These stones exist when there is too much cholesterol or bilirubin in the bile. Still, other stones form when there is a deficiency of bile salt or if bile is not flowing from the gallbladder properly. A gallbladder stone can be the size of a grain of sand or as big as a golf ball.
Cholelithiasis Treatment
If there are no symptoms associated with the gallbladder stone (gallstones), the doctor can give you bile salt tablets, which will help dissolve the gallstones. It can take up to 2 years to get rid of the stones. There are two other medications that can be used to eat away at cholesterol-based gallstones, henodeoxycholic acids (CDCA) or ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA,). If the gallstones are causing problems, a minor, minimally invasive surgery called laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed.
