Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz birth control side effects involving gallstones will occasionally migrate further downstream in the biliary tract. They pass through the cystic duct into the common bile duct. Sometimes, smaller stones will pass into the small intestine, and eventually exit the body. Other times, they can become lodged within the common bile duct, and set the stage for infection. The infection is known as cholangitis.

How Yaz And Gallstones Contribute To Bile Duct Infection

When infection presents in the common bile duct, it is almost always due to an obstruction. While a blockage can be caused by a stricture or tumor, most diagnosed cases are attributed to gallstones.

Bacteria is believed to be present throughout the biliary system, including with the cystic, hepatic, and common bile ducts. Its colonization is controlled by your body’s antibacterial mechanism and the flow of bile fluid. When there are no biliary obstructions present, bile is able to flow unimpeded from the liver to the gall bladder, and onward to the small intestine. Thus, bacteria rarely has an opportunity to evolve into infection.

When stones become stuck in the bile duct, and prevent bile fluid from passing, bacteria is allowed to colonize the duct. A biliary obstruction impairs your body’s immune system, including its antibacterial mechanism. This allows bacteria in the duodenum (top portion of your small intestine) to gain access to the duct, and climb upward. With time (and without treatment), bacteria colonization turns into infection.

Secondary Conditions Caused By Cholangitis

Biliary infection seldom remains localized. It ascends the bile duct, and infiltrates the hepatic ducts. From there, it climbs toward the liver, where it poses a risk of damaging the organ. This marks the beginning of a potentially life-threatening condition.

If the infection is left untreated, it will eventually enter your bloodstream and spread to other areas of your body. This can lead to multiple organ failure. Your heart, kidneys, and lungs may begin to fail as bacteria overwhelms them. Septic shock and death can result in severe cases.

Retrieving Gallstones From The Bile Duct

Bile duct infection can be successfully treated with antibiotics. If it has spread to other organs, a more aggressive approach may be necessary. Once your doctor is confident your vital signs are stable, attention shifts to resolving the bile duct obstruction.

Yaz side effects caused by gallstones can be retrieved through a two-pronged procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic sphincterotomy. The first stage, ERCP, involves inserting a fiberoptic instrument known as an endoscope down your throat. Your doctor will advance the instrument through your stomach toward the duodenum. A catheter is then advanced through the endoscope into the common bile duct. A contrast dye is introduced into the duct to help your doctor identify the location of the blockage.

The second stage, endoscopic sphincterotomy, involves passing a surgical tool through the endoscope to the sphincter of Oddi. This tool is used to make a cut into the valve. This widens the valve, and allows your doctor more room to retrieve the obstructing Yaz gallstones. Once the stones have been extracted, the instruments are withdrawn.

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Stale bile fluid eventually irritates the wall of the gall bladder. At the same time, the organ becomes distended due to inadequate drainage into the cystic duct. These circumstances, combined with increasing bacterial proliferation, result in inflammation.

While infection is seldom present when Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms begin, it usually occurs if the condition is left untreated. As inflammation and infection become more pronounced, you may experience one or more of the following symptoms.

Pain Within The Biliary Tract

Biliary colic is pain in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen. The term is often used to refer to a “gallbladder attack,” but the two circumstances can be triggered by different factors. Biliary pain may be related to one of several clinical findings, including a high level of bilirubin, dilation of the cystic or common bile ducts, or distention of the gall bladder. The pain may last for as little as 15 minutes, or persist for several hours.

Symptoms associated with a gall bladder attack are more specific to the organ than biliary colic. They are triggered by inflammation and infection, which can lead to secondary complications, such as perforations and necrosis. Such attacks are more severe than biliary colic; the pain peaks quickly, and remains constant for up to twelve hours. It is severe enough to motivate most patients to seek hospitalization.

Nausea And Fever

Nausea and vomiting are common with both biliary colic and pain specific to the gallbladder. Fever occurs in some patients, and is occasionally accompanied by chills and sweating. It is usually low-grade (i.e. under 101 degrees Fahrenheit).

Fluid Accumulation And Thickening Of The Gallbladder’s Wall

When the gall bladder becomes inflamed due to bile stasis, it may begin to fill with fluid. This is, in part, what leads to the distention of the gall bladder. As the organ expands to accommodate the accumulating fluid, its wall thickens. This eventually leads to scarring, which impairs the organ’s ability to contract and push bile outward to the common bile duct. Meanwhile, the presence of infection causes pus to accumulate (a condition known as empyema).

Additional Signs Of Gallbladder Disease

There are several secondary indications of Yaz side effects involving gallbladder disease. They result from bile stasis, lack of bile flow, an elevated level of bilirubin, and other factors. For example, your urine may be darkly-colored and stools, lightly-colored. Yellowing may appear on your skin and in the whites of your eyes (known as jaundice). Abdominal fullness and persistent belching, especially after meals, is also common. If the inflammation of your gall bladder is severe, the muscles in your abdomen may become rigid.

These symptoms, as well as those described earlier, may decrease if gallstones cause a perforation in the gall bladder. Relief occurs because the perforation allows stagnant bile to leak from the organ into the abdominal cavity. But the relief is temporary since the leak will lead to abdominal infection.

Treating An Inflamed Gallbladder

When the gall bladder becomes inflamed and infected, doctors normally recommend its removal. This is usually done within forty-eight hours from the first signs of presentation, assuming surgery poses little risk. The procedure is called cholecystectomy. While it is common, there are serious risks involved. A small percentage of patients who undergo cholecystectomy suffer bile duct injuries. Most of these injuries stem from mistakes made by the surgeon, and if missed, must be repaired through a subsequent operation.

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Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms can lead to dangerous complications if it is not promptly treated. Bile stasis, inflammation, infection, and the migration of stones in the biliary tract can cause life-threatening circumstances. If you have suffered from gallstones, gall bladder disease, or other serious Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.

The potential problems caused by Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms extend much further than the condition’s initial presentation implies. From bacterial colonization and biliary infection to perforations, gangrene, and sepsis, the risks of neglecting to seek medical treatment are substantial. An overview of the dangers follows.

Infection In The Gallbladder

Gall bladder disease (known as cholecystitis) is usually caused by gallstones that have migrated from the organ into the cystic duct. If they become lodged within the duct, they can block the passage of bile fluid. This causes bile stasis within the gall bladder, a circumstance that allows bacteria to proliferate. The wall of the organ becomes inflamed, which triggers the abdominal pain.

If cholecystitis is treated (typically done by surgically removing the gall bladder), the spread of bacteria can be prevented. Otherwise, it will continue to colonize the organ, leading to infection. In the absence of treatment – through antibiotics or organ removal – the infection will spread, and eventually access other organs.

Perforations In The Gallbladder

Perforations are holes that develop in the gallbladder. These are typically caused by gallstones that irritate the inflamed wall. The wall slowly erodes until a breach develops.

The danger of a perforated gallbladder is that gallstones, bile, and pus (which accumulates as the result of infection) can spill into the abdominal cavity. This allows bacteria and infection to spread outside the biliary system. The tissue lining the wall of the abdomen (called the peritoneum) becomes irritated and inflamed, a condition known as peritonitis. Without treatment, the infection and inflammation will cause abscesses and eventually, gangrene in the abdomen.

Another danger of perforations is that they often relieve the pain associated with a gall bladder attack. The severity of the pain declines as the contents of the organ (i.e. bile, pus, etc.) spill outward. This can mislead the patient into thinking the condition has subsided when in fact, it will likely worsen.

Tissue Death And Sepsis

When infection and inflammation within your gall bladder become severe, the tissue may begin to die. Known as gangrene, tissue death spreads rapidly, and thus must be treated immediately to prevent systemic infection. If bacteria gains entry to your bloodstream, it can lead to sepsis as infection spreads to other parts of your body.

Sepsis is life-threatening. Bacteria overwhelms the bloodstream and causes a marked drop in blood pressure. This prevents oxygen-rich blood from reaching key organs, such as your brain, kidneys, and liver. These and other organs will eventually begin to shut down as you enter septic shock.

Biliary Infection

Gallstones that move into the common bile duct and cause a blockage create an environment in which bacteria can spread. Bacteria can enter the duct from the duodenum, the topmost section of your small intestine. Heavy bacterial colonization will lead to infection, which, unless treated, will spread upward through the biliary tree. This is known as ascending, or acute, cholangitis.

Acute cholangitis is considered a medical emergency since the condition can be fatal. Untreated, the infection will continue to spread through the biliary system, overtaking the gall bladder and liver. If it is not controlled, bacteria may enter the bloodstream, exposing the rest of your body to infection. As described earlier with gangrene, this will lead to sepsis and shock.

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Gallbladder disease caused by Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz may pose many serious complications. When gallstones present symptoms, it is important to seek treatment before problems evolve into medical emergencies. If you have suffered gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim against the manufacturer. Contact a Yaz lawsuit gallbladder lawyer to discuss your case.

Acute pancreatitis is characterized by sudden inflammation of the pancreas. The inflammation is caused by digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas that become activated in the pancreatic duct. By some estimates, nearly 85% of diagnosed cases can be traced to gallstones. You’ll learn how this condition occurs below.

From The Gallbladder Into The Common Bile Duct

Women who use Yasmin, Ocella or Yaz birth control introduce two hormones into their bloodstream: estrogen and drospirenone (a synthetic progestin). These hormones have been linked to increased cholesterol secretion from the liver and reduced gallbladder motility (e.g. contractions). The former leads to the crystallization of cholesterol particles inside the gallbladder. The latter leads to bile stasis; stagnant bile fluid combines with calcium and bilirubin to form biliary sludge. These circumstances often lead to the formation of stones.

Most Yaz side effects caused by gallstones are asymptomatic. They remain inside the gall bladder without presenting symptoms. Occasionally, however, they move toward the organ’s opening, and migrate through the cystic duct into the common bile duct (CBD).

The CBD is the route bile travels as it drains from the gallbladder into the duodenum, the top section of your small intestine. There, it aids in the digestion of fats. In the lower portion of the duct lies the ampulla of Vater. This is a juncture where the CBD merges with the pancreatic duct prior to draining into the duodenum.

The pancreatic duct carries secretions from the pancreas to the small intestine. This fluid is comprised largely of digestive enzymes; they travel with inhibitors that prevent them from becoming active. Gallstones that are present within the common bile duct can travel downstream, and cause a blockage past the ampulla of Vater. An obstruction in this area of the biliary tree will prevent the digestive enzymes from passing.

How Inflammation Of The Pancreas Occurs

As long as the biliary obstruction is temporary, and resolves itself quickly, the pancreatic secretions will not pose an issue. If, however, the blockage persists, the digestive enzymes will eventually overpower the inhibitors. They will become active.

Trapped, activated digestive enzymes have nowhere to go, and thus begin to digest the pancreas. This triggers severe inflammation of the organ, which results in abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Hospitalization is necessary. Patients who neglect to seek medical treatment expose themselves to life-threatening complications, including systemic infection and pancreatic necrosis.

The Threat Of Infection And Pancreatic Necrosis

When the activated digestive enzymes cause tissue damage in the pancreas, infection develops. As tissue damage become more severe, bleeding occurs, and allows bacteria and activated enzymes to enter the bloodstream. When this happens, infection becomes systemic. Unless it is treated, bacteria can overwhelm the patient’s bloodstream, setting the stage for sepsis. This causes a drop in blood pressure, and leads to the shutdown of major organs as the patient goes into septic shock.

Even in cases where treatment prevents the systemic spread of bacteria, tissue damage in the pancreas can become so severe that portions of the organ begin to die. This is called necrosis. As the tissue necrotizes, blood and fluid from the pancreas will spill into the abdominal cavity. As with sepsis, this leads to a drop in blood pressure, and is often followed by shock.

Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz gallbladder disease problems caused by gallstones that migrate into the common bile duct can cause dangerous complications, including acute pancreatitis. Left untreated, the condition may become life-threatening. If you have suffered gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact a Yaz lawsuit settlements attorney to discuss your case.

Most women who suffer from Yaz gallbladder disease side effects seek immediate medical attention when the first symptoms present. The condition is usually resolved by surgically removing the organ. If hospitalization is neglected, the disorder can worsen, exposing women to more serious side effects. Below, we’ll describe several possible outcomes when an inflamed gall bladder is left untreated.

Fluid Accumulation And Thickening Of The Wall

When the gall bladder becomes inflamed (called acute cholecystitis), fluid begins to accumulate within it. The fluid is unable to escape due to the obstruction caused by gallstones in the cystic duct. This circumstance allows bacteria to flourish, and sets the stage for the onset of infection. Fluid accumulation also causes distension in the organ, which in turn causes its wall to thicken and scar.

Scar tissue is essentially inert. It cannot assist in the gallbladder’s contractions. Moreover, once it forms, it cannot be repaired.

Infection And Perforations Of The Gall Bladder

As inflammation grows steadily worse, the inner lining of the gall bladder becomes compromised. Infection further weakens the wall, and makes it susceptible to erosion from nearby gallstones. When stones continue to irritate the wall, perforations can form.

Perforations are small holes. They allow bile to spill into the abdominal cavity. These holes develop in nearly 10 percent of diagnosed cases of acute cholecystitis, and account for a substantial portion of the mortality rate.

Gangrene Of The Gallbladder

Severe infection can occur in the gall bladder if bacterial colonization is allowed to persist. This eventually prevents blood from circulating properly throughout the organ. Impaired blood supply means that oxygen and nutrients are unable to reach the compromised tissue, resulting in necrosis (i.e. premature death of cells).

Necrosis is the precursor to gangrene. The gallbladder’s tissue begins to die as infection overwhelms it. The condition is accompanied by severe pain, which may be followed by a period of numbness in the area. Other symptoms include confusion, nausea, fever, and a drop in blood pressure due to internal bleeding.

Bile Duct Infection

Gallstones occasionally leave the gall bladder and travel into the common bile duct. If they are small, they might pass through the duct and into the duodenum (first part of the small intestine) without causing a problem. Larger stones, however, can obstruct the bile duct, and prevent bile fluid from passing.

When the bile duct becomes blocked for an extended period, bacteria enters the duct through the sphincter of Oddi (a valve that separates the duct from the duodenum). This bacteria ascends the duct, and spreads throughout the biliary tract. If it is not controlled, infection will occur in the bile duct, and spread to your gall bladder and liver. This is a condition called cholangitis. It can become life-threatening.

Severe Inflammation Of The Pancreas

Some gallstones may migrate lower in the biliary tree. They can become lodged past the point where the bile duct is joined by the pancreatic duct. This latter tube is the route taken by digestive enzymes secreted by the pancreas. If these enzymes are prevented from flowing into the duodenum, they will back up and begin to digest the pancreas. This causes acute pancreatitis, which can become fatal if it is not treated.

Together, Yaz and gallbladder disease have caused dangerous circumstances for many unsuspecting women. Without treatment, inflammation can evolve into infection, perforations, and other medical problems. If you have suffered from gallstones, gallbladder disease, or other serious Ocella, Yasmin or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit gallbladder attorney to discuss your options.

Gallbladder removal surgery is the standard form of treatment for resolving symptomatic Yaz gallbladder problems involving gallstones. It was once performed through invasive open surgery, but is now commonly done through laparoscopy. We’ll focus on the latter approach below. You’ll learn how it is performed, and the complications that may result.

How Your Gallbladder Is Surgically Removed

This procedure requires general anesthesia. Once you have been sedated, the surgeon will insert a needle near your navel, and fill your abdomen with carbon dioxide. This is done to inflate your abdomen, which provides more working space and better visualization of the biliary tree.

Four or five small incisions are made into your abdomen. These serve as entry points. Surgical instruments are inserted through them with which your doctor can sever the connections your gallbladder shares with adjacent structures.

The first instrument is called a laparoscope. It’s thin, flexible, and outfitted with a tiny camera on its tip. As your doctor advances the laparoscope through your biliary tree, the camera sends video images to a monitor. The images allow your doctor to view the inside of your abdomen, and the structures that lie near your gall bladder.

Once your surgeon has examined the area, he or she will insert dissectors, graspers, clamps, and other surgical tools. The flow of bile is staunched, and the gallbladder is drained. Prior to its removal, the organ is inspected for signs of infection or scarring. If either is present, your doctor may be forced to convert from laparoscopy to an open procedure. Conversion may also be necessary if nearby blood vessels are injured, or visualization near the cystic duct and gall bladder is diminished.

If conversion is unnecessary, your doctor will begin by first identifying the triangle of Calot. This is the point in the biliary tree where the cystic duct branches off from the common bile duct, and extends toward the gallbladder. This juncture is used for positioning, and helps orient your doctor.

The biliary anatomy is contained within a small space, and thus it is easy to mistake the cystic duct for the common bile duct. For this reason, the cystic duct should be severed as closely to the gall bladder as possible to prevent bile duct injuries. Once this has been done, your doctor will sever the tissue strands shared by your gallbladder and liver. The organ is then placed into a bag and removed.

Lastly, your surgeon will check the site for bleeding before removing the clamps, dissectors, and other instruments. Then, the incisions are closed.

Two Potential Complications

Besides bleeding and infection – both of which are risks with any operation – gall bladder removal surgery poses two serious complications. Both are due to mistakes made by the surgeon. First, your common bile duct might be accidentally severed. When this mistake occurs, it is usually due to the doctor wrongly identifying the bile duct as the cystic duct. This can happen as the result of poor visualization (which should prompt a conversion to open surgery) or inexperience with the biliary system.

The second danger also involves the bile duct. While severing the gall bladder’s connections, the surgeon might unintentionally create a tear in the duct. This allows bile fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity, a circumstance that will eventually lead to infection.

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When the gall bladder’s inner wall becomes inflamed, the organ becomes susceptible to infection. This can lead to one or more serious complications. Even if infection remains localized, it may eventually cause perforations, fistulas, and gangrene. This is the reason doctors seek to treat and resolve symptomatic gallstones as soon as they are detected.

The most common form of treatment is to have your gallbladder surgically removed. The procedure is called cholecystectomy. While the organ is considered nonessential (i.e. you can live without it), there are risks involved with its removal, including dangerous bile duct injuries. A secondary condition that often arises following surgery is postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS). We’ll describe its presentation, diagnosis, and treatment below.

PCS Symptoms Versus Complications From Gallbladder Removal Surgery

Postcholecystectomy syndrome is characterized by symptoms reminiscent of gallbladder disease. These symptoms include abdominal pain and nausea, and in some cases, jaundice. While its presentation is simple enough to detect, identifying the underlying causes of PCS are more challenging. In some cases, pain may be triggered by the variance in bile flow through the biliary tract in the absence of the gallbladder. In other cases, it may be due to a functional abnormality of the sphincter of Oddi.

It is important that your doctor is able to isolate symptoms that relate to postcholecystectomy syndrome from those associated with complications that arise from surgery. As mentioned earlier, cholecystectomy occasionally results in bile duct injuries. Such injuries allow bile fluid to leak into the abdominal cavity, which can lead to infection. If it is left untreated, the infection can spread to other areas of your body. Hence, diagnosing PCS, and ruling out competing diagnoses, is critical.

Diagnostic Studies For Identifying Postcholecystectomy Syndrome

It is worth noting that PCS is typically a preliminary diagnosis that leads to the diagnoses of other circumstances. Also noteworthy is that there exists very little consensus among doctors regarding factors that suggest a higher risk of developing PCS. Symptoms are nonspecific, and thus tracing their root causes is difficult.

Following review of your medical history, your doctor will order one or more imaging tests. A helical CT scan is usually ordered before other studies, and is often followed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). This latter test is used to determine whether gallstones are present within the common bile duct.

If, for some reason, ERCP cannot be performed, your doctor may order magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP). This study, too, can be used to detect bile duct stones, but is also helpful for identifying other biliary abnormalities (e.g. dysfunction of the sphincter of Oddi, cancer, etc.).

Treating The Underlying Problem

The tests described above often reveal other diagnoses that have little to do with the removal of the gallbladder. Treatment follows the specific diagnosis. For example, if irritable bowel disease is detected, you may be given a sedative or calcium channel blocker depending on the circumstances. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) may be addressed with antacids. If a functional problem with the sphincter of Oddi is identified, your doctor may perform a sphincterotomy to widen the opening.

The long-term prognosis of postcholecystectomy syndrome is dependent upon the condition that led to its initial presentation. Here, it is particularly important to identify bile duct injuries resulting from cholecystectomy since they can lead to infection. If tears in the bile duct are found, they must be resolved through further surgery.

Yaz and gallstones have caused biliary tract problems for many women. Even when stones are addressed with gallbladder removal surgery, dangerous complications can occur. If you have suffered from gallstones, gallbladder disease, or any other Yasmin, Ocella or Yaz side effects, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact an experienced Yaz gallbladder settlement lawyer to discuss your case.

How Does Gallbladder Disease Develop?

The condition is usually triggered by gallstones. To understand how gall bladder disease occurs, it’s important to understand how the stones form in the first place.

Ocella, Yasmin and Yaz birth control releases two hormones – estrogen and a progestin called drospirenone – into a woman’s bloodstream. Research suggests these hormones cause an increase in the level of cholesterol secreted by your liver, and a decrease in your gall bladder’s contraction activity. The excess cholesterol sits inside the organ, and grows stale. Small particles begin to accumulate and crystallize. Eventually, they form stones.

Gallstones rarely cause problems. They can remain inside the gall bladder for many years without women realizing they exist. If, however, the stones block the organ’s opening, or become lodged in the cystic duct, they can prevent the passage of bile. This causes bile fluid to grow stale, and turn into biliary sludge. The result is inflammation of the organ’s inner lining, the first indication of Yaz gallbladder disease.

What Are The Symptoms Of The Condition?

You’ll experience sharp pain in the upper right quadrant of your abdomen. It intensifies quickly, and can persist for several hours. Within thirty minutes of its presentation, even deep breathing may be painful. You might also experience nausea and vomiting, and in many cases, fever and chills. These latter symptoms often indicate serious issues, such as perforations or gangrene.

How Is Gallbladder Disease Treated?

Once the condition has been diagnosed, the inflammation is usually addressed by surgically removing the gall bladder. This is accomplished with an operation known as cholecystectomy. If gallstones have migrated into the common bile duct, an additional procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) with endoscopic sphincterotomy is necessary to retrieve them.

Are There Alternative Forms Of Treatment?

Though gallbladder removal surgery (i.e. cholecystectomy) is the approach favored by most doctors, it is considered an elective operation. Unless your life is in immediate danger – as would be the case with gangrene – other forms of treatment may be possible.

If there is no sign of infection throughout the biliary tract, your doctor may prescribe powerful pain medications, such as Demorol or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. You can also elect to undergo oral or contact dissolution therapy. Both target gallstones with the goal of causing them to dissolve.

Oral dissolution therapy involves taking bile acid pills. This approach may require up to two years for complete stone dissolution. It is sometimes ineffective. Moreover, even when stones dissolve, they can return.

Contact dissolution therapy involves the delivery of a chemical solution called methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE). It is injected directly into the gallbladder. It works quickly, and can dissolve stones in as little as five or six hours. The downside is that it often causes excruciating pain. Here, too, stones can return.

Is Gallbladder Removal Surgery Safe?

Cholecystectomy is a common procedure; hundreds of thousands of operations are done each year. There is, however, a risk of bile duct injury. In some case, the surgeon will accidentally incise the duct. In other cases, the bile duct is completely severed by mistake. Both are serious complications, and usually due to poor visibility of the biliary tree, or a lack of familiarity on the part of the surgeon.

Yaz and gallbladder disease may have exposed many women to a host of medical problems, including bile duct infection, gangrene, and acute pancreatitis. Left untreated, these complications can become life-threatening. If you have suffered from gallstones, gall bladder inflammation, or other biliary problems, you may be able to file a claim for compensation for your injuries. Contact a Yaz lawsuit settlements lawyer to discuss your options.

One of the most common diagnostic techniques used for detecting gallbladder problems is ultrasound. While the test is imperfect, it offers a high degree of accuracy. Doctors can use ultrasonography to identify gallstones, thickening in the gall bladder’s wall, pancreatic problems, and many other abnormalities.

Ultrasound studies can be done transabdominally or endoscopically; each poses advantages and drawbacks. We’ll explore both approaches in more detail below.

Abdominal Ultrasonography

Ultrasonography uses high-frequency sound waves that penetrate the body’s tissues, and bounce off internal organs and fluids. These sound waves are emitted from a small device called a transducer. They reflect – or “echo” – back to this device, which sends the data to a computer that compiles an image of the body’s internal structures.

During transabdominal ultrasound, gel is applied on your skin, and the transducer is gently pressed against it. The sound waves are sent through the skin into your abdomen to reflect off your gall bladder, bile ducts, pancreas, and other structures within the biliary tree. The sound waves’ reflection signature carries slight differences in direction and pitch, all of which are recorded by the transducer. These differences are then transmitted to the computer, which uses them to create a real-time image.

The test takes approximately twenty minutes to complete. While it is considered an essential diagnostic study for detecting biliary tract issues, it poses a few limitations. First, it is most useful for identifying gallstones that are at least two millimeters in diameter. Stones that are smaller may not display clearly. Given that most cases of Yaz gallbladder disease symptoms are triggered by gallstones, this is a notable shortcoming.

Second, transabdominal ultrasound cannot accurately pinpoint bile duct stones. If such stones are suspected, endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is usually necessary.

Endoscopic Ultrasonography

This approach to ultrasound is more invasive than abdominal ultrasonography. A transducer is affixed to the tip of a slender, flexible instrument called an endoscope. Prior to the test, a sedative is administered via IV.

Once the sedative has taken effect, the endoscope is inserted in your mouth, and advanced down your esophagus. Your doctor will further guide the instrument through your stomach, and toward your duodenum (the top section of your small intestine). The transducer performs the same job as before: it sends out high-frequency sound waves, records their reflection signature, and sends the corresponding data to a computer. The difference is that it is much closer to your organs and bile ducts. Thus, it provides clearer visualization of the biliary tract.

One of the advantages of endoscopic ultrasound is that it can detect gallstones that are smaller than two millimeters. It can also reveal bile duct stones, a task for which transabdominal ultrasound is poorly suited. It is not without drawbacks, however. The test is costly, sometimes unavailable, and poses a risk of side effects (e.g. organ perforation).

On rare occasions, both abdominal and endoscopic ultrasound studies may prove inadequate for confirming a diagnosis of gallbladder disease. Such cases require other tests. Your doctor may order a CT (computed tomography) scan, HIDA scan, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP), or as mentioned earlier, ERCP. Each of these diagnostic studies offer varying levels of accuracy. Some, like MRCP, are more invasive than others.

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Inflammation of the organ’s lining causes intense abdominal pain. Along with nausea and vomiting, this pain typically lasts for several hours. Together, these symptoms are usually enough to motivate people to seek emergency medical care.

Occasionally, those who suffer from Yaz gallbladder disease allow the inflammation to persist. This exposes them to several dangerous outcomes, including infection, perforation of the gall bladder, and gangrene.

Bacterial Colonization And Infection

Bacteria is present in bile fluid. This poses little to no risk, however, as long as the flow of bile remains unhampered. When Yaz gallstones prevent bile from exiting the gallbladder, bacteria flourishes and sets the stage for infection.

If infection remains localized within the gall bladder, its effects will be limited. On the other hand, it may spread into the cystic duct. If bacteria continues to propagate, and colonizes the common bile duct, a condition called acute cholangitis may present. As bacteria continues to spread unchecked, it eventually enters the bloodstream. This exposes you to serious infections throughout the rest of the body.

Thickening And Scarring Of The Gall Bladder’s Wall

After bacterial colonization has caused infection within the gall bladder, the organ may fill with pus. This is known as empyema, a condition that typically affects the pleural space between the lungs and chest wall. As pus begins to fill the gall bladder, the organ starts to thicken.

Recurring gallbladder attacks that result from chronic infection will eventually cause scarring along the inner wall of the organ. Your gall bladder will shrink, becoming unable to perform its job of storing concentrating bile fluid.

Fistulas And Perforations

Infection, inflammation, and the presence of Yaz gallstones can lead to an erosion of the gall bladder’s wall. If, while this occurs, the organ adheres to another organ nearby (e.g. the small intestine), a channel may open between them. This is called a fistula. Fistulas are dangerous because material (i.e. bile, stones, etc.) from the gall bladder may spill into the other organ. If the stones are large enough and gain direct access to the small intestine, they may cause an intestinal blockage. This is dangerous and can be life-threatening.

The gallbladder’s wall may erode to the point a hole is exposed. This is a perforation, which is estimated to occur in one of ten diagnosed cases of gall bladder disease. When the organ become perforated, its contents can spill into the abdominal cavity. Like fistulas, the condition is serious and can be life-threatening if left untreated. Bile fluid and stones that leak into the abdominal cavity will cause inflammation of the abdomen’s lining (i.e. peritoneum). This leads to infection.

Death Of The Gallbladder’s Tissue

Severe Yaz gallbladder disease that is left untreated for a prolonged period can lead to the death of the organ’s tissue. This is called necrosis, which evolves into gangrene. As the tissue dies, it weakens. If pus has accumulated and pressure has increased within the organ, it may rupture. This can be fatal.

Gangrene of the gallbladder is rare in the U.S. since symptoms associated with severe inflammation typically cause people to seek medical attention. That said, it occasionally happens when a person neglects to seek treatment.

Many otherwise healthy women are exposed to Yaz gallbladder disease and the related complications described above. Though these outcomes rarely present, each is potentially life-threatening. If you or someone you know has suffered gallstones or other serious Yasmin, Ocella and Yaz gallbladder problems, you may have the right to file a claim for compensation. Contact an experienced Yaz lawsuit lawyer to discuss your options.