eww!

Thought you all might be interested in the pathologist's report on my gallbladder. :-) This is straight from the report. Warning: It still makes me shudder with revulsion to read it, even though it's referring to my gallbladder.


Gross Description
Received in a properly labeled container of formalin, the specimen consists of a green gallbladder measuring 7.3 x 2.0 x 2.5 cm. ... The gallbladder contents consist of green mucoid fluid and one green-yellow egg-shaped stone measuring 1.4 x 1.2 x 1.0 cm with a crystalline appearance. The gallbladder lining is green, velvety and stippled with yellow. The gallbladder wall measures up to .4 cm in thickness.

Final Diagnosis
Chronic cholecystitis with cholesterolosis and cholelithiasis

There is more on the report about the microscopic description, but I have no idea what any of it means, except "no evidence of malignancy."

If I passed a similar size stone to this one during each of my attacks, through the approximately 5 mm diameter common bile duct, that would explain why it hurt so much! Or perhaps it was just this one stone which blocked the gallbladder exit twice and the pain was caused by the pressure of fluid building up and the gallbladder trying to push it out? I didn't think to ask the doctor if he could determine exactly what had caused the attacks, if it was just this one stone or if there was evidence I had passed others. Darn. I was very interested to discover that I did have this stone, though, since no stones showed up on the ultrasound. Makes me glad I did get it removed! I am very happy with my surgeon, too, if any of you need a recommendation. :-)