Definition

1. Noun:
   • A medical condition characterized by the presence of gallstones in the gallbladder: "Cholelithiasis" is the formal medical term for having gallstones. It refers to the state or condition itself, not the individual stones.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • The patient was diagnosed with cholelithiasis after experiencing severe abdominal pain.
  • Asymptomatic cholelithiasis often requires no immediate treatment.
  • Obesity is a known risk factor for the development of cholelithiasis.

Advanced Usage

• "Symptomatic cholelithiasis": Refers to the condition when gallstones cause noticeable symptoms such as pain (biliary colic) or complications.

  • Symptomatic cholelithiasis is typically an indication for surgical removal of the gallbladder.

• "Complicated cholelithiasis": Describes cases where gallstones lead to further medical issues like inflammation or infection.

  • The ultrasound revealed signs of complicated cholelithiasis, including gallbladder wall thickening.

Variants and Related Words

• Cholelith (n): A single gallstone. This is the term for the stone itself, whereas "cholelithiasis" is the condition of having stones.

  • The surgeon removed several small choleliths.

• Cholecystolithiasis (n): A more precise synonym, specifically meaning stones in the gallbladder (from "cholecyst-" for gallbladder).

  • The terms cholelithiasis and cholecystolithiasis are often used interchangeably in clinical practice.

Synonyms

• Gallstone disease: A more common, non-technical term for the condition.
• Biliary lithiasis: A general term for stone formation in the biliary system, which can include the gallbladder or bile ducts.

Related Medical Terms (Not Phrasal Verbs)

• Cholecystitis (n): Inflammation of the gallbladder, often caused by cholelithiasis.

  • Acute cholecystitis is a common complication of cholelithiasis.

• Choledocholithiasis (n): The presence of gallstones within the common bile duct, which is a potential complication of cholelithiasis.

  • The patient's jaundice was due to choledocholithiasis arising from pre-existing cholelithiasis.

Noun

1. the presence of gallstones in the gallbladder