Gallbladder polyps are growths that stick out from the edge of the inner wall of the gallbladder. Polyps can be cancerous, but they rarely are. Cholesterol polyps are the most common type of gallbladder polyp. These are typically small (less than 1 cm); non-cancerous; and attached to the gallbladder wall by a thin, fragile stalk. Most people usually have multiple polyps inside their gallbladder, although around 20% of people with gallbladder polyps have just one polyp within the gallbladder. Often, gallbladder polyps can become detached from the gallbladder wall and float in the bile much like gallstones.
Cholesterol Polyps Inside Gallbladder
Gallbladder polyps usually do not cause any symptoms. They are often found by chance during routine surgical removal of the gallbladder for gallstone disease, or by imaging studies performed for other reasons. In less common situations gallbladder polyps may be found on an ultrasound study done for symptoms which resemble that of gallstone pain, or biliary colic (pain in the upper right side of the belly starting suddenly, rising in intensity over a 15-minute period, and continuing for one to several hours before slowly disappearing), although the level of pain may not be as intense.
The main factor which determines whether a gallbladder polyp contains cancer is its size. Polyps which are larger than 1cm have an increased risk of being cancerous polyps. Other factors which are associated with a higher risk of cancer within a gallbladder polyp include patient age greater than 60 years, the presence of coexisting gallstones, and single polyps.
If you are experiencing symptoms of gallbladder pain and have both polyps and gallstones present in your gallbladder on ultrasound, then you should undergo an elective surgical removal of your gallbladder. This procedure is called a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. If you have gallbladder polyps without gallstones on your ultrasound then treatment depends on the degree of your symptoms. If your surgeon determines that your symptoms are caused by your gallbladder polyps or if the features of the polyps on ultrasound (especially the size) raise any concern for the possibility of cancer, then surgery to remove your gallbladder may be needed.
Find out more about gallbladder surgery here. Do you have gallbladder polyps? Have you had surgery to remove your gallbladder? We’d love to hear from you. Share your experiences with us by posting a comment.
