Biliary colic, which is also known as gallbladder disease, is the "inflammation, infection, stones, or blockage (obstruction) of the gallbladder," according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Multiple factors can result in the development of biliary colic, ranging from temporary inflammation to a congenital defect. In addition, biliary colic may be an indicator for a more serious condition, such as a tumor in either the gallbladder or the bile ducts.
Definition
According to the Milton S. Hershey Medical Center at Penn State, "biliary colic is a condition characterized by extreme cramping pain in the right upper abdomen. Gallstones in the gallbladder (a small, pear-shaped sac under the liver that stores bile), or in the bile ducts (small tubes that drain bile from the liver into the gallbladder and small intestine) are the causes of the severe pain." According to the NIH, bile is involved in the digestion of fat and is released from the gallbladder into the upper small intestine.
Causes
According to the NIH, certain chronic conditions can result in different types of biliary colic. One type of biliary colic is cholecystitis, which is caused by the inflammation of the gallbladder. Patients who have gallstones, which are caused from too much cholesterol or too much bilirubin in the bile, have a type of biliary colic called cholelithiasis. Another type of biliary colic, chronic acalculous gallbladder disease, is caused when the mechanisms that empty the gallbladder do not function properly.
Additional Causes
Additional causes of biliary colic involve damage to the gallbladder, according to the NIH. These include gangrene or abscesses, polyps in the gallbladder, congenital defects in the gallbladder, and tumors of the gallbladder and the bile ducts. The polyps or tumors in the gallbladder or the bile ducts can result in more severe conditions, such as cancer.
