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To: Pinkbell
The reason you are required to leave off any fatty foods prior to your ultrasound is that you want the GB to be distended so there will be significant opportunity to see the stones contrasted against a 'watery' matrix. Eating anything fatty stimulates the hormone cholecystokinin which then stimulates the smooth muscle in the wall of the GB to contract, thus emptying the GB. Therefore you do not want to stimulate this action prior to the ultrasound study.

Beware of people telling you to avoid surgery if you have cholelithiasis. Should you push a stone from the GB into the common bile duct it can result in obstrucion of the liver and/or pancreas. This will lead to jaundice and possible pancreatitis. Pancreatitis is a very dangerous medical condition. If one has obstructive pancreatitis due to a retained stone, the obstruction must be relieved. One of the most feared complication of pancreatic obstruction is acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis where the walls of the blood vessels are 'digested' by proteolytic enzymes manufactured in the pancreatits. Autodigestion leads to very bad outcomes. The uncommon condition of acute hemorrhagic pancreatitis has a very high mortality rate as well as profound and life-long complication. There are a few who tell you to get a second opinion. Do it. Get 3 or 4, but get them from people who deal with the problem routinely.

50 posted on 02/26/2012 7:28:31 PM PST by Texas Songwriter (Ia)
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To: Texas Songwriter

Thank you. That was very informative. I am hoping they don’t find anything, but if they do, I’ll listen to the medical advice.


51 posted on 02/26/2012 7:59:32 PM PST by Pinkbell
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