Gallstones & Gallbladder Inflammation

It is less common in children than adults, but we are seeing more cases now due to obesity and unhealthy diet.

• Cholelithiasis / gallstones: hard, stone-like deposits that form in the gallbladder — a small sac under the liver that stores bile to digest fat
• Cholecystitis: inflammation or infection of the gallbladder, usually when a stone blocks its opening

• Obesity and a fast-food diet
• Haemolytic diseases like thalassemia or sickle-cell anaemia
• Prolonged fasting or TPN (IV feeding)
• Family history
• Certain medicines
• Sometimes no clear cause

• Biliary colic: severe pain in the upper-right belly after fatty or oily food, coming in waves
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fever, if infection is present
• Bloated tummy, gas, indigestion
• Jaundice — yellow eyes or skin if a stone blocks the bile duct
• Many children have "silent stones" with no symptoms at all

Emergency signs: severe pain + fever + vomiting, or yellow eyes.

• Ultrasound of the abdomen: the best test — shows stones and gallbladder wall thickness
• Blood tests: to check for infection and liver function

Surgery is the definitive treatment — laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

• Keyhole surgery: 3–4 small cuts, 45–60 minutes
• Day-care or a 1-day stay
• The entire gallbladder is removed; the body works normally without it
• No medicines can dissolve stones permanently in children

Surgery is needed for painful gallstones, cholecystitis (infection), stones over 1 cm or multiple stones, and complications like jaundice.

For the first 2 weeks, a low-fat diet:

• Eat: dal, rice, roti, fruits, vegetables, curd, buttermilk
• Avoid: fried food, sweets, bakery items, full-cream milk, ghee, junk food
• After 2–4 weeks, slowly return to a normal diet

Yes. The liver continues to make bile; it just drips directly into the intestine instead of being stored. Most children have no problems after surgery.

• Maintain a healthy weight
• Avoid crash diets and prolonged fasting
• Eat a fibre-rich diet with less fried and oily food
• Drink enough water
• Regular exercise