Yesterday Ancha Baranova published an article about stones in the gallbladder, and how effectively they were dissolved and prevented their formation some Koreans there.
So Ancha believes that people should run from a surgeon to a gastroenterologist in order to slowly dissolve stones with ursodeoxycholic acid.
In fact, very often this approach works. But Ancha is completely in vain to suggest looking for a second opinion, running away from a surgeon to a gastroenterologist. The fact is that there are two very important nuances in this matter: time and cancer. I explain.
Time
Ursodeoxycholic acid actually dissolves gallstones. This does not always work, but if the stone looks soft and is less than 2 centimeters in size, then with a probability of 50% it can be gradually dissolved.
In fact, gallstones dissolve from the inside out. That is, if there is a calcium "husk" around the stone, then until the very end these contours of the stone will be visible on ultrasound or X-ray. Years go by, the person persistently dissolves the stone, but outwardly nothing in the stone changes. And then, one fine moment, the husk crumbles, and the stone is no more.
Under the most favorable conditions, the stone dissolves at a rate of about 1 millimeter per month. That is a centimeter stone the year will dissolve.
If a person has motivation, then he can dissolve his stones for years (some have done this for more than 10 years). This is provided that he did not yet have severe biliary colic, due to which he had already been hospitalized. Because in a year, two or three, such a poor fellow is guaranteed to jam the stone again. And you can even die from this. This is the first moment.
Gallbladder cancer
The second point is associated with gallbladder cancer. This tumor is rare, but often die from it. That is, it is very difficult to notice this cancer at such a stage that a person can be saved.
Stones are considered one of the most important reasons for the development of gallbladder cancer. For years or decades, they scrape the interior of the gallbladder with their rough surface, and from this a tumor grows in the bladder.
The larger the stone, the higher the risk of developing gallbladder cancer. A stone larger than 3 centimeters will provoke cancer 10 times faster than a stone smaller than 1 centimeter.
In this case, everything is very strict, and running after a second opinion is at least strange. Because you can die.
If your risk of cancer is high, your surgeon will cut off your gallbladder without hesitation.
High risk is indicated by:
- Large stone (especially more than 3 centimeters).
- Polyps in the gallbladder (we discussed them with you).
- Porcelain gallbladder (this is when calcium is deposited in the wall of the gallbladder).
- When the pancreatic duct and common bile duct merge together into one bed.
Briefly speaking
Gallbladder cancer is rare. Due to this, many people have fun for years, dissolving stones for themselves. But the statistics are very stubborn, some of these people will be unlucky and they will die of cancer. So it would be logical not to run away from the surgeon, but to do as he says. Well, this is if you are friends with logic.
Above in the text there are links to my articles on the topic of gallstones. Read it. There are many interesting things.
