In the modern world, children are increasingly experiencing various digestive problems. Many of them are associated with deformation of the gallbladder in a child.
What it is?
Not everyone knows what the gallbladder is responsible for in the body. This small reservoir is needed to store the bile that is regularly produced in the liver. You can live without a gallbladder, but the quality of life is significantly deteriorating.
In gastroenterological practice, many different diseases of the gallbladder are distinguished, caused by anatomical defects in its structure. Such anomalies lead to disruption of the functioning of the organ, leading to the appearance of adverse symptoms. As a rule, they are manifested in a child by dyspepsia, digestive disorders.
Anatomical defects in the structure of the gallbladder can manifest themselves in different ways. Most often they appear as a kink, bend or deformation. Under these conditions, the correct anatomy of the organ changes.
Various kinks of the gallbladder lead to disruption of its work, digestion in this case is disturbed. The severity of adverse symptoms depends on the true cause of the condition.
Norm
The projection of the gallbladder on the body is the area under the right costal arch. It is in this zone that the organ responsible for storing bile is located. In a healthy person, the gallbladder is a pear-shaped reservoir. It consists of several parts: body, bottom and neck.
The accumulation of bile occurs directly in the body area. In the process of digestion, the required amount of it moves to the cervical region up to the anatomical narrowing - the Lutkens sphincter. This mechanism of bile excretion was invented by nature. It allows you to release the required amount of bile with each meal.
Bile moves along the bile duct and reaches the “fork”. One part of the digestive secretion is directed to the liver, while the other enters the intestine with the help of another anatomical formation - the sphincter of Oddi.
Causes
The development of various pathologies associated with anatomical defects in the structure of the organ is caused by the influence of the following factors:
- Various pathologies during intrauterine development... Violation of the course of pregnancy, infection of the expectant mother with various infections or hereditary diseases contribute to the violation of organogenesis in the fetus. The most dangerous period is the first trimester. It is at this time that most organs appear, including the digestive system. Signs of gallbladder dyskinesia can already appear in a newborn baby (immediately after birth) or in a baby.
- Improper nutrition... This factor leads to the appearance of signs of dyskinesia already at an older age. Abuse of fatty and fried foods, as well as fast food contributes to the active work of the body. If the baby constantly eats such food, then the gallbladder may start to work incorrectly. For the processing of fatty products, the secretion of more bile is required, which contributes to the development of various twists and kinks in the neck of the organ.
- Traumatic injury... Injuries to the abdomen can lead to curvature of the anatomical shape of the organ. The gallbladder becomes misshapen or curved. The change in the shape of the organ also appears after the child falls on the stomach. In this case, it becomes incorrect.
- Heredity. In families where the parents have signs of changes in the anatomical shape of the gallbladder, babies with the same features are more often born. This pattern is due to the presence of special genes that transmit certain parameters of the structure of organs from generation to generation. With this option, congenital anomalies in the structure of the gallbladder are possible.
- Concomitant diseases of internal organs. Pathologies of the liver and pancreas often contribute to the development of various anatomical defects in the structure of the gallbladder. This is due to the proximity of adjacent abdominal organs.
Kinds
Usually the shape of a healthy gallbladder is fixed. When deformation appears, it changes. In some cases, additional constrictions or bridges are present in the gallbladder. They are still formed in utero, normally they should not be. Such bridges contribute to the fact that the shape of the gallbladder changes and becomes S-shaped.
It is important to note that the anatomically correct shape of the organ contributes to the physiological secretion of bile as a result of food intake. Any bridges in the organ cause a violation of its outflow.
Ultimately, this leads to manifestations of dyskinesia and the formation of chronic cholecystitis.
The curved shape of the gallbladder also does not contribute to the normal flow of bile. Usually, with this pathology, bile can accumulate in the area of the body or bottom. Long-term accumulation can lead to the development of gallstone disease. Usually, the first signs of the disease appear only at an older age.
Symptoms
Most forms of anatomical organ defects are asymptomatic. Many people live their whole lives without even knowing that they have some kind of gallbladder anomalies. A mild course is not accompanied by the appearance of adverse symptoms. Quite often, the diagnosis is made spontaneously, after an ultrasound examination of the abdominal cavity.
If the anatomical defect is quite pronounced, then this can lead to the development of various adverse symptoms in the child.
They can be expressed in different ways. The development of these uncomfortable signs is associated with bile congestion.
The following signs of dysfunction of the gallbladder are especially common:
- The appearance of nausea... It usually occurs after eating fatty or fried foods. Nausea is moderate. Often it goes away on its own, without the use of drugs. Any errors in the diet lead to the appearance of this symptom.
- Vomiting. Extremely rare. It usually occurs after family meals and the use of various fatty foods. Vomiting develops within 30-40 minutes after eating. Quite often it is one-time, the eaten content goes back.
- Soreness in the right hypochondrium. This symptom does not occur in all cases. Usually, soreness or pulling pain appears with errors in the diet. The intensity of the pain syndrome is mild to moderate. The use of enzyme preparations and antispasmodics significantly relieves the condition.
- Increased gas production... Abuse of fatty and fried foods leads to the fact that the supply of bile becomes insufficient for digestion. Prolonged stagnation contributes to the development of putrefactive processes in the abdominal cavity and gas formation. This symptom is also often associated with bloating.
- Stool disorder. Young patients with gallbladder dyskinesia or signs of bile congestion often have constipation. There may be spastic stools. When the pancreas is involved, diarrhea may occur, but this is quite rare.
- Increased body temperature... It usually does not rise above subfebrile values. An increase in body temperature to 37.5 may be the first sign of trouble in the work of the gallbladder. This condition often makes the child feel hot and aggravates the general weakness.
- Loss of appetite. Babies who have problems with the work of the gallbladder may have different taste preferences. This is usually a tendency to add acidic foods to food. Often little patients with bile outflow disorders are very fond of eating lemons or other citrus fruits.
Diagnostics
It is impossible to suspect anatomical defects of the gallbladder at home. Even a clinical examination and palpation of the abdomen by a doctor gives only a preliminary diagnosis. To determine the anatomical defect, additional studies are required.
To date, the most informative and safe examination of the abdominal organs is an ultrasound examination.
This method has been successfully used for many years in pediatric practice to identify various pathologies of the gastrointestinal tract. This study is very informative. It helps to establish a diagnosis in almost 100% of cases.
During the study, the ultrasound doctor can detect any deformities of the gallbladder. In the presence of an inflammatory process, the contour of the organ changes, it becomes double. Contour research is very important. It allows you to establish all the defects of the gallbladder wall that arise with various anatomical problems.
The first early sign of organ abnormalities is an increase in echoes from the reflected walls. This suggests that there is stagnation of bile in the organ or there are signs of inflammation. The ultrasound also helps determine the amount of secretion in the gallbladder. Using this method, you can exclude chronic cholecystitis, as well as detect the presence of stones in the organ at the earliest stages.
Doctors use various laboratory tests to assess functional impairment. With pathologies of the gallbladder, a biochemical blood test is prescribed. The analysis of indicators of bile enzymes: bilirubin and its fractions helps to assess the work of the organ. There are age norms. Exceeding the indicators indicates the presence of violations in the secretion of bile and the presence of diseases of the liver or gallbladder.
Treatment
Therapy of anatomical defects of the gallbladder is usually performed by a pediatric gastroenterologist. He prescribes treatment after conducting all the necessary examinations and determining an accurate diagnosis. With a mild course of the disease, it is enough just to diet regularly. Such nutritional therapy should be prescribed in a timely manner, you will need to diet for life.
When adverse symptoms appear, special medications are required. To improve the outflow of bile, antispasmodic drugs are prescribed. Regular use of these drugs is not required. They are appointed either for a course appointment, or as needed. Such funds remove spasm and normalize the flow of bile through the bile ducts.
Contributes to the excellent functioning of the gallbladder and various physiotherapy procedures. They help to improve the blood supply to the organ, after which it functions better. Physiotherapy also helps to improve the secretory functions of the gallbladder and eliminate various spasms of the gastrointestinal tract.
Sanatorium-resort treatment is necessary for all children suffering from digestive diseases. Regular nutrition, taking into account pathologies, allows you to achieve positive results.
Doctors recommend to undergo such treatment at least once a year. During rest, the baby's digestion processes improve, he becomes healthier.
For the treatment of bile stagnation, a special diet must be prescribed. All fatty and fried foods are absent from this health food. The kid should eat high-quality protein foods that do not contain fat, but have good saturating properties. Vegetables and fruits are important components of health food.
You should eat in small portions, up to 5-6 times a day. Such fragmentation of nutrition allows to normalize the outflow of bile from the gallbladder. If you experience pain in the abdomen, you should choose dishes prepared in a gentle way (steamed or baked).
You can supplement the diet with any fruit juices and compotes. Rosehip decoction is also perfect. This drink is a good thirst quencher and promotes good bile excretion.
Usually, conservative therapy is sufficient to treat gallbladder deformity. Surgical operations are indicated only in the presence of persistent anatomical defects that lead to severe disruption of the functioning of organs.
Diseases that are fairly easy do not require intervention from surgeons.
The course of the disease is monitored by a gastroenterologist. Babies with gallbladder deformities should see this doctor every year. An ultrasound examination of an organ can be performed once every few years. An annual survey is not necessary.
For information on what problems can be with the gallbladder and how to treat them, see the next video.
