Can intrahepatic bile duct stones with calcification foci become larger?

Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
Updated on April 13, 2025
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When intrahepatic bile duct stones are accompanied by calcification, the volume may increase. The calcification is a description found in ultrasonography and CT imaging, and is considered a benign lesion that does not require special treatment. Regular follow-up with ultrasound can be conducted to dynamically observe changes in volume, which generally tends to increase at a relatively slow pace. Of course, for patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, if acute cholangitis occurs repeatedly, it will manifest as discomfort or pain in the upper right abdomen. Therefore, early surgical treatment should be undertaken to fully address the issue. The mentioned method mainly involves laparoscopic choledocholithotomy, which can achieve better treatment outcomes.

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What to do about vomiting due to intrahepatic bile duct stones?

Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones often have concomitant acute cholangitis, presenting with prominent right upper abdominal pain. Thus, they may experience clinical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, chills, high fever, and jaundice. At this point, treatment should involve the use of antibiotics to combat the infection. Once the inflammation is controlled, the condition can be alleviated. Gastric protective drugs can also be used for symptomatic treatment to better relieve symptoms. However, for patients with symptomatic intrahepatic bile duct stones, the primary treatment is surgical, which is the only way to cure the condition completely. Conservative treatment can only alleviate symptoms. The surgical method mainly involves laparoscopic choledochotomy for stone removal, which can cure the condition by removing the stones.

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Will running cause pain if there are stones in the bile ducts within the liver?

Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones may experience pain while running. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, symptoms often worsen after vigorous activities. These patients frequently also suffer from cholangitis, which can cause significant pain in the upper right abdomen, along with clinical symptoms such as jaundice, nausea, vomiting, chills, and high fever, especially after consuming greasy food or overeating combined with intense activity. Therefore, it is advisable to seek surgical treatment as soon as possible. The main surgical method is laparoscopic choledochotomy for stone removal, which can achieve better treatment outcomes after the stones are extracted.

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Is the incidence of intrahepatic bile duct stones high?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones have a relatively low incidence rate. They are a type of gallstone, and compared to gallbladder stones, their occurrence is less frequent. Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones often experience concurrent cholangitis, leading to symptoms such as upper abdominal pain, significant nausea, and vomiting, along with other gastrointestinal symptoms. Therefore, for patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, when significant symptoms occur, not only is the use of antibiotics necessary to treat the infection and control the inflammation, but surgery is also required to achieve therapeutic effects. The primary surgical method is choledochotomy for stone removal, which can lead to better treatment outcomes after the stones are extracted.

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Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Does Jin Qian Cao expel gallstones from the liver's bile ducts?

This method cannot eliminate intrahepatic bile duct stones. The treatment for intrahepatic bile duct stones mainly depends on the symptoms. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones who do not have significant symptoms and whose stones are relatively small, no special treatment is required. Avoiding spicy and irritating foods in the diet can reduce inflammatory stimuli and better control the condition. Regular follow-up with ultrasonography is sufficient. However, for patients with larger intrahepatic bile duct stones, acute cholangitis may occur, presenting with significant upper abdominal pain. In such cases, proactive treatment is necessary. The treatment mainly involves surgery, which can significantly improve the prognosis and potentially cure the condition.

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How is intrahepatic bile duct stones treated?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones refer to stones located in the branches of the bile duct above the junction of the left and right hepatic ducts. Surgical treatment is currently the main method of treatment. Treatment should be based on the number and distribution of stones within the bile ducts, the location and extent of hepatic and biliary strictures, pathological changes in the liver, the state of liver function, and the patient's overall symptoms. Appropriate surgical approaches should be adopted, including hepatectomy, high position bile ductotomy for stone removal, transhepatic choledochotomy for stone removal, biliary-intestinal internal drainage, liver transplantation, etc.