Biliary Sludge: This is an assortment of mucous and specific other matters that develop as bile. Bile is a brown-yellow fluid which comes from the liver to the gallbladder and that is concentrated while being stored. After eating, the gallbladder will contract, discharging the bile thru the “common bile duct” into the duodenum where it will aid in the digesting of any fats from the meals. This mixture of “biliary sludge” can vary. The common matter in this sludge is crystals of cholesterol as well as calcium salts. Drugs occasionally might comprise the specific sludge as bile is one of the main routes for the elimination of drugs.

This biliary sludge has been linked with some conditions such as weight loss that is rapid, pregnancy, medications such as octreotide, and ceftriaxone, as well as bone marrow or solid organ transplantation.

This sludge does not cause any symptoms or cause symptoms that are spasmodic. But it can slowly develop to gallstones – and it can also completely resolve on its own.

Symptoms of this sludge include abdominal pain, as well as nausea and vomiting, especially after a meal that is full of fat.

Biliary sludge may cause problems, such as pain from bile ducts that are obstructed – known as biliary colic – pancreas inflammation known as pancreatitis, and gallbladder inflammation known as cholecystitis.

This sludge may be found with abdominal ultrasound, by “endoscopic ultrasonography” – which is ultrasonography done thru an endoscope – or by a direct examination of the contents of the bile under a microscope which is known as “bile microscopy”.

If individuals with sludge have complications or symptoms, gallbladder removal might be performed as treatment. This operation is known as cholecystectomy and is very common.