What are Bile Duct Stones, Strictures and Lesions?
Bile duct stones, which are also referred to as choledocholithiasis, are hardened deposits of digestive fluid which can form in the bile ducts, causing blockages that lead to complications like infection or inflammation.
Bile duct strictures, on the other hand, are narrowed or blocked areas in the bile ducts caused by inflammation, scarring or tumors. A bile duct stricture can obstruct the flow of bile and lead to complications like jaundice or infection.
Bile duct lesions refer to abnormal growths or changes in the bile ducts that may or may not be cancerous.
Causes of Bile Duct Stones, Strictures and Lesions:
Causes of bile duct stones can include gallstones passing from the gallbladder into the bile ducts, inflammation in the bile ducts or certain medical conditions that affect bile flow.
The causes of bile duct strictures can include chronic inflammation of the bile ducts, or cholangitis), previous surgeries on the bile ducts, or certain medical conditions, such as primary sclerosing cholangitis.
Bile duct lesions can also be caused by chronic inflammation, infections, or genetic factors.
Symptoms of Bile Duct Stones, Strictures and Lesions:
In assessing the symptoms associated with bile duct stones, physicians and patients often observe abdominal pain, jaundice, or yellowing of the skin, fever, nausea and vomiting.
Symptoms of bile duct strictures may include many of the above symptoms, including itching and weight loss, too.
Bile duct lesions, on the other hand, may not initially present with any symptoms, but as the lesion grows or becomes cancerous, symptoms may include abdominal pain, jaundice, weight loss, or digestive problems.
Diagnosing Bile Duct Stones, Strictures and Lesions:
To best diagnose bile duct stones, your doctor will usually order imaging tests such as an ultrasound, CT scan, or MRI scan. Blood tests may also be included to check for any signs of infection and better analyze the live function.
In diagnosing bile duct strictures, your doctor may order similar imaging tests as for bile duct stones, but may also explore doing an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, otherwise known as an ERCP.
Diagnosing bile duct lesions will normally involve the same imaging tests as mentioned for bile duct stones and strictures. Bile duct lesions, however, may require your doctor to take a soft tissue biopsy, too, to determine whether the lesion is cancerous.
Treating Bile Duct Stones, Strictures and Lesions:
Treating bile duct stones may include medications to dissolve the stone, endoscopic procedures to remove the stones, or surgical procedures to remove the stones while repairing any damaged bile ducts.
To best treat bile duct strictures, your doctor may turn to endoscopic procedures to widen the stricture or place a stent to encourage the duct to stay open. In more serious cases, surgery may be recommended to completely move the stricture and reconstruct the bile ducts affected.
Treatment options or bile duct lesions depend on whether the lesion(s) is cancerous or benign. Benign lesions may be simply monitored regularly, while cancerous lesions may require surgery, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.
It’s important to discuss further with your physician for proper diagnosis and treatment if you suspect you may have bile duct stones, strictures, or lesions.