What are the symptoms of bile duct obstruction?

Biliary obstruction is a relatively common liver and gallbladder disease. The most common cause is gallstones, but it may also be caused by tumors. When patients have bile duct obstruction, they will show a variety of symptoms. The most common is abdominal pain, which often causes pain in the upper abdomen. It can also cause nausea and vomiting in patients. More severe cases can also cause high fever and chills, and even organ failure.

What are the symptoms of bile duct obstruction?

1. Abdominal pain Abdominal pain is mostly located below the xiphoid process in the upper abdomen and varies in severity.

Sometimes there is only attic distension or dull pain, and distension and pain are also common. Acute obstruction of the hepatobiliary duct by stones may cause severe pain, such as colic and a knife-like sensation. The radiation site varies depending on the location of the stone. For hepatobiliary stones located in the right posterior lobe, the pain often radiates to the right shoulder and back (below the 5P angle of the right shoulder and above the right shoulder swelling); for hepatobiliary stones on the left side, the pain radiates to under the xiphoid process and lower chest. During an acute attack, if there is persistent and severe pain in the chest and back, the possibility of hepatobiliary stones should be considered.

2. Symptoms of acute cholangitis

Hepatobiliary stones are often accompanied by common bile duct stones, and recurrent stone obstruction and symptoms of acute cholangitis are also common. Due to bile duct infection and spasm and edema of the hepatopancreatic ampulla sphincter, upper abdominal pain, fever, and jaundice may occur. Typical symptoms are chills, fever and right upper abdominal pain, followed by jaundice soon after. Acute suppurative cholangitis caused by stones in one side or one lobe of the hepatobiliary duct may be free of jaundice or only have mild jaundice. The fever can be as high as 39-40 degrees Celsius, usually occurs once and subsides after about 1-2 weeks. Severe attacks can last longer. Due to the increased pressure in the bile duct, bacteria and toxins can invade the bloodstream through the bile duct and cause bacteremia and toxemia. Some patients may suffer shock due to toxemia, especially when the obstruction is located low and the affected area is large.

3. Chronic hepatobiliary obstruction symptoms

Sometimes it only manifests as long-term recurring irregular fever, discomfort and pain in the liver area. The pain is not too severe, but deep and persistent, often worsening at night. Transaminases and alkaline phosphatases were irregularly elevated. It is easily misdiagnosed as chronic hepatitis and cholangitis clinically.