What’s the difference between Gallbladder Stones & Kidney Stones?
In this article, we shall highlight the key point of differentiation between gallbladder stones and kidney stones.
Very often we encounter a situation when we get queries that what is the difference between kidney stones and gallbladder stones. India being in the tropical zone, kidney stones are more often seen in the summer season so people are more aware of the kidney stones.
1. The Different Organ of Origin:
The gallbladder stones develop into the gallbladder and kidney Stones develop in the kidney. We have only one gallbladder on the right side. It is attached to the liver and bile duct. On the other hand, we have two kidneys on both sides in the lumbar region on the side of the naval point. Kidney, Ureter & urinary bladder makes the urinary system as one unit. The kidney makes urine and then urine pass through ureter (tube-like an organ, connecting kidney and urinary bladder) and gets stored in the urinary bladder.
2. Different Function:
The function of the gallbladder is to store the bile and make it concentrated and to help in the digestion of the fat content of the food.
On the other hand, the function of the kidney is to filter the blood and remove the toxins and then release all these waste toxins from the body in the form of Urine.
3. A Different Mechanism of Stone Formation:
Gallbladder stones are formed due to hyper saturation of cholesterol in the bile. There are 3 types of gallbladder stones:
a. Cholesterol Gall-stones: These stone develops when bile contains too much cholesterol and insufficient bile-salts. The risk factors for the development of cholesterol gallstones are obesity, women taking estrogen hormone either as family planning or for hormonal replacement therapy, sudden weight loss.
b. Pigmented Gall-stones: These stones are made up of bilirubin. The risk factor for these stones is hemolytic anemia, liver failure (cirrhosis), and bile duct infection.
c. Mixed Stones: These are the most common type of stones in the Indian-Asian population. They are composed of both types of stones.
On the other hand, there are 4 types of kidney stones
i. Calcium oxalate or phosphate Stones: Calcium oxalate stone is the most common variety.
ii. Uric acid stones: These stones are formed in acidic urine so risk factors for uric acid stones are overweight person, type 2 diabetes, gout, and a diet rich in animal protein and low in fruits and vegetables.
iii. Struvite / Infection Stones: These stones develop in those people who cant empty their urinary bladder completely. Like a person with neurological disorders.
iv. Cystine Stones: Cystine is aminoacid, a part of the protein. But due to inherited metabolic disease, the kidney doesn’t reabsorb cysteine from urine, then a crystal of cystine forms the stone. These stones are seen in children.
4. Different Symptoms.
The gallbladder stones cause pain in the upper abdomen while the pain of kidney stones occurs in the flank region or side of the naval point. The pain may be mild or severe in both cases.
The stone when causes the blockage of gallbladder neck or stone that causes blockage of the ureter can lead to the pain. This pain is known as colicky pain. One cannot forget this type of pain in his life.
Along with pain, both may have nausea, vomiting, or fever.
5. Different Diagnosis (Gallstones Vs Renal Stones)
Both the stones can easily be diagnosed on sonography.
In sonography, the location size and number can be assessed. Sonography can also tell about the complications arising out of blockage of the gallbladder or the ureter.
6. Different Treatment:
The treatment of both gallbladder stones and kidney stones is different so it becomes very important to differentiate which stone is the root cause of pain.
Surgery is always needed if you are symptomatic:
· If someone has symptoms because of the gallbladder stones or complications due to gallbladder stones, then surgery is needed. There is no effective and proven medical treatment for gallbladder stones. Yes, one can wait for the treatment of gallbladder stones if they are detected for other reasons and one does not have symptoms because of gallbladder stones.
· On the other hand, kidney stones not always require surgery. The size of stones is one of the important factors to decide the line of treatment. The smaller size of stones can remain in the inside of the kidney without causing any damage to the kidney. The person should take plenty of water so that the size of the stone size of kidney stone does not enlarge in size and doesn’t damage the kidney.
· When the stone moves from the kidney along with the urine through the ureter it may cause blockage of the ureter on the way from the kidney to the bladder. If stones cause blockage to flow of urine, at that time the person feels severe pain.
Size of Stone doesn’t matter in gallbladder stones if it’s Hurting:
· If one getting pain due to gallbladder stones, then the size of the stone doesn’t matter. Small and multiple stones can give great trouble. So rather than the size of stone in gallstones, it’s the symptom that decides the line of treatment. On the other side, smaller stones are more vulnerable to give many more complications and these complications may be life-threatening. These small stones when moves forward with bile, may block the neck of the gallbladder, can block bile flow to the intestine, or can block flow to the juice of the pancreas for digestion. These are specific medical terminology to describe all: block neck of the gallbladder (acute cholecystitis), blockage of bile flow to the intestine (Jaundice), and blockage to flow the juice of pancreas (acute pancreatitis).
· The size of the stone is important to decide the line of treatment of kidney stones. The stone of 5 to 6 mm size can easily pass down and come out with the urine. But during movement from upside down and coming out with urine there are two-three points where kidney stone can get blocked and may give rise to the pain but being a smaller size they have higher chances of passing with the urine and does not require any treatment.
· When a stone is large 8 to 10 mm, they can damage the kidney so the person may pass blood in the urine or can develop the urine infection. These kidney stones need timely attention for proper treatment by surgery.
Organ Removal Vs Stone Removal
· In the treatment of gallbladder stone surgery, the whole of the gallbladder is removed along with all gallbladder stones inside. But in the kidney stones, the only stone is removed without removing the kidney. The gallbladder is not an essential organ for our body so it can be removed. When gallbladder has stones, it means that gallbladder is no longer properly working and when the stones are creating health problems then it is wiser and scientific to remove the gallbladder with all safety guards.
· In the absence of the gallbladder, there is no major effect on the body because, during the process of stone development and poor functioning of the gallbladder, our body has already been adapted for the function of the gallbladder. Now the bile storage function of the gallbladder is taken care of by the common bile duct that becomes bit dilated and the intestine also adapts to storage-digestion.
· We are fortunate that unlike gallbladder which is a single organ in the body, there are two kidneys in our body. Due to advancements in medical science for the treatment of kidney stones, only stone can be removed without the need to remove the kidney from the body.
· In a complicated case of kidney stones where kidneys get infected and become the source of infection in the body then as a last option kidney is also removed along with all kidney stones. The second kidney takes care of body functions in the absence of another kidney. It means the one kidney is now taking care of our body so one should take all measures to prevent damage to the remaining kidney from any means.
7. Different Outcome:
Once the gallbladder is removed through surgery, there are no chances of developing new stones in the gallbladder.
On the contrary, as the kidney remains in the body after stone removal, so there are fair chances of new stones formation. So it becomes very important to take all dietary precautions to minimize the new stone formation in the kidney.
8. Different Strategy for Stone Prevention: As we have read that the mechanism for stone formation is different in gallstones and kidney stones so preventive strategy will be different altogether.
· For Cholesterol Gallstones: Have a healthy diet and lifestyle.
· For Pigmented Gallstones: Save your liver from alcohol and unnecessary medicines
· For Kidney Stones:
o Drink enough water every day
o Reduce the amount of salt in the diet
o Avoid excess calcium in diet or medications
o Eat Fruits & vegetables
o Avoid food with high oxalate level: avoid spinach, rhubarb, almonds
o Eat less animal meat
Conclusion: So only name stone is similar between gallbladder stones and kidney stones. Otherwise, both are different entities and need different approaches to treatment and prevention.
