Intrahepatic bile duct stones

Intrahepatic bile duct stones preferably occur at the beginning of the left hepatic duct. The narrowing of the hepatic duct with lumen dilatation and stone accumulation, and the angle of the left hepatic duct into the common hepatic duct is large, resulting in a relatively stagnant state of bile flow that is not as smooth as that of the right hepatic duct, which further facilitates the formation of stones. Patients are usually asymptomatic, or experience distension and discomfort in the upper abdomen and chest and back, and in severe cases, may be accompanied by acute cholangitis with chills, high fever and abdominal pain, and the diagnosis can be confirmed with ultrasound and other imaging tests. Asymptomatic choledocholithiasis can be left untreated with regular observation and follow-up. If the above symptoms recur in the clinic, it is necessary to go to the hospital in time and receive surgical treatment under the guidance of specialized doctors. The principles are to remove the stones as much as possible, relieve the bile duct stenosis and obstruction, remove the site of stones and infection, restore and establish smooth bile drainage, and prevent the recurrence of the stones.