Doctor Pham Quoc Trung, from the Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Department, Center for Endoscopy and Minimally Invasive Digestive Surgery, Tam Anh General Hospital, TP HCM, stated that if not treated promptly, stones in the common bile duct can obstruct bile flow, gradually affecting the patient's health and quality of life.

Cholangitis: This is the most common complication, occurring when stones block the bile duct, causing inflammation and infection. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice.

Hemobilia: Blockage of the common bile duct due to stones can cause bile stasis in the liver, seriously affecting liver function. Over time, this can damage the bile duct wall and blood vessels, leading to abnormal hemobilia.

Suppurative cholangitis: Untreated inflammation due to bile blockage can lead to severe infection, causing symptoms such as pain, high fever, and jaundice, which can lead to sepsis and septic shock.

Doctor Trung consults a patient. Illustrative photo: *Tam Anh General Hospital*

Bile peritonitis: Infected bile leaks into the abdominal cavity, localized in the right upper quadrant or spreading throughout the abdomen, causing bile peritonitis. Bacteria entering the bloodstream can lead to sepsis.

Bile duct abscess: Untreated bile duct stones can cause suppurative cholangitis, which can develop into a bile duct abscess or a hepato-biliary abscess.

Acute cholecystitis: When bile flow is affected, inflamed bile can back up into the gallbladder, causing swelling or inflammation of the lymph nodes around the gallbladder, obstructing flow in the gallbladder neck. This increases pressure within the gallbladder, also leading to acute cholecystitis.

Septic shock and sepsis: Bile duct blockage creates conditions for bacterial growth and infection, which can spread to the liver and blood, causing multiple complications. According to Doctor Trung, patients can die if not treated promptly.

Hepatorenal syndrome: Hepatorenal syndrome in hepatobiliary disease is a dangerous complication, a consequence of severe infection with a high risk of death.

Gallstones form for various reasons, such as stones migrating from the gallbladder, infections and parasites, congenital bile duct stenosis or malformations, and bile metabolism disorders. Older adults, women, those with a family history, and those who are overweight or obese are at higher risk.

Stones in the early stages often have no symptoms or vague symptoms that are easily confused with other common digestive diseases, such as nausea, vomiting, fever, abdominal pain, and jaundice. Therefore, if there are any suspicious signs related to gallstones, patients should seek early examination for timely diagnosis and treatment.

Thao Nhi