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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Written by Zhang Tao
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Can people with intrahepatic bile duct stones eat sweet potatoes?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones can cause upper abdominal pain during acute episodes, which is generally closely related to the patient's careless diet. Sweet potatoes are a type of food that may induce gastric acid production. If a patient has intraheptic bile duct stones and consumes sweet potatoes, it may cause stomach discomfort. Therefore, it is recommended that patients generally avoid eating sweet potatoes or not eat them excessively.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Are intrahepatic bile duct stones the same as gallstones?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones are a type of gallstone, and patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones often develop cholangitis. Thus, patients may exhibit symptoms such as chills, high fever, jaundice, and significant upper abdominal pain. They might also experience nausea and vomiting. In severe cases, the condition can lead to acute obstructive suppurative cholangitis, septic shock, and even result in death. Therefore, intrahepatic bile duct stones should be taken seriously. If significant symptoms occur, it is advisable to undergo surgery as soon as possible. The surgical method can be a laparoscopic choledochotomy to remove the stones, which can be curative. Gallstones also include gallbladder stones, which are a common type clinically. If symptoms occur, the treatment method is also surgical, involving the removal of the gallbladder to achieve a cure.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is the likelihood of malignant transformation of intrahepatic bile duct stones high?

Intrahepatic bile duct stones have a relatively low probability of becoming cancerous. Patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones may develop acute cholangitis, presenting with symptoms like severe pain in the upper right abdomen, nausea, vomiting, jaundice, and systemic infectious symptoms such as chills and high fever, but generally, these stones do not become cancerous. When patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones exhibit significant symptoms, it is important to take them seriously and perform timely surgical treatment to achieve a radical cure. The main surgical approach is laparoscopic salpingotomy for stone removal, which can lead to better treatment outcomes. Additionally, dietary adjustments should include avoiding spicy and irritating foods to reduce inflammatory stimuli and better prevent exacerbation of the condition.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Do people with intrahepatic bile duct stones experience weight loss?

Generally, patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones do not experience weight loss. If there is a significant weight decrease over a short period of time, resulting in weight loss or even cachexia, attention should be raised. It is necessary to complete relevant examinations to determine if there are malignant tumors. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, although they may repeatedly experience upper abdominal pain and discomfort, along with nausea and vomiting, and sometimes concurrent cholangitis that results in jaundice, generally, it does not affect their weight. Of course, the condition of patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones should be actively managed. For treatment, typically, laparoscopic choledochotomy for stone removal is chosen, which can completely eliminate the stones and significantly improve the patients' quality of life.

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Written by Liu Wu Cai
Hepatobiliary Surgery
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Is dandelion useful for intrahepatic bile duct stones?

Dandelion has no effect on intrahepatic bile duct stones. For patients with intrahepatic bile duct stones, if the stones are small, generally there are no obvious symptoms at this time, and no special treatment is needed. It is possible to periodically review with color ultrasound to dynamically observe the change in size. Of course, spicy and irritating foods should be avoided in the usual diet to reduce inflammatory stimulation, and eating more fresh vegetables and fruits can better control the development of the condition. For patients with larger intrahepatic bile duct stones, there might be complications such as acute cholangitis, characterized by severe pain and jaundice. Therefore, in such severe cases, early surgical treatment should be considered.