In many instances, individuals with gallbladder diseases often experience no signs and symptoms. In case they do, the following symptoms are experienced [6]:

• Individuals with gallstones complain of pain in the upper portion of the abdomen, decreased appetite, nausea accompanied by vomiting and development of pain soon after eating.
• In condition of hydrops, there is severe sepsis along with shock like states.
• The condition of cholangitis presents with fever, development of jaundice and pain in the upper quadrant region. Sometimes, the condition can also mimic signs and symptoms of cholecystitis. 
• Patients suffering from cholecystitis often complain of persistent pain in the epigastric region, fever, nausea accompanied by vomiting and anorexia.

• Fever

  Jaundice together with fever can be extremely serious, and you should seek urgent medical attention. Patients with acute cholecystitis will have a persistent right or upper abdominal pain, and fever. [healthxchange.sg]

  Patients suffering from cholecystitis often complain of persistent pain in the epigastric region, fever, nausea accompanied by vomiting and anorexia. [symptoma.com]

  If left untreated, gallstones can lead to complications such as: Cholecystitis : An infection in the gallbladder can cause pain and fever, possibly requiring surgery. [henryford.com]

  […] choledocholithiasis (gallstone in common bile duct) jaundice (if infection) fever and severe upper abdominal pain pathophysiology gallstones may be composed of a variety of compounds 70% formed from cholesterol 90% of gallstones are asymptomatic found [radiopaedia.org]

  If symptoms do occur, they can include: fever jaundice itching upper abdominal discomfort. Approximately 60 to 80 percent of people with this condition also have ulcerative colitis. [healthline.com]

• Severe Pain

  Unfortunately, the concretions humans make in their digestive system aren't valuable and can cause you severe pain instead - funny how things are different between the species. [study.com]

  Gallstone disease is most often asymptomatic, but can cause pain in the middle and right upper abdomen. Many only have mild to moderate discomfort for an hour or so after consuming a meal high in fat. For others, this discomfort can be severe pain. [cnn.com]

  The gallbladder contracts vigorously against the blockage, causing severe pain in spasms, or sometimes constant pain. Biliary colic episodes usually last one to five hours, with mild pain lingering for up to 24 hours. [everydayhealth.com]

  If jaundice, severe pain, or pancreatitis is present, choledocholithiasis may be suspected, and ERCP and sphincterotomy are recommended before the laparoscopic operation. [emedicine.medscape.com]

• Nausea

  Nausea and vomiting are also common. Typically, patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis will present with sudden severe upper abdominal pain, often associated with back pain. [healthxchange.sg]

  In general, these issues, particularly nausea and vomiting, should lessen within the first three months of taking the drug. [drugwatch.com]

  Acute cholecystitis can also cause: fever nausea vomiting jaundice Chronic cholecystitis After several attacks of acute cholecystitis, the gallbladder can shrink and lose its ability to store and release bile. [healthline.com]

  Nausea and vomiting may occur. [medstarwashington.org]

• Abdominal Pain

  Abstract Imaging of the gallbladder has a key role in the examination of patients with abdominal pain-especially pain localized to the right upper quadrant. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Symptoms of gallbladder disease include: Abdominal pain after meals Fever Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes) Right upper quadrant abdominal pain Diagnosis of Gallbladder Disease If your child experiences symptoms of gallbladder disease [rileychildrens.org]

  Typically, patients with acute gallstone pancreatitis will present with sudden severe upper abdominal pain, often associated with back pain. The pain is usually severe enough to bring the patient to the emergency room. [healthxchange.sg]

• Right Upper Quadrant Tenderness

  On examination, there is pain to palpation in the right upper quadrant (Murphy's sign). [clevelandclinicmeded.com]

  Abdominal exam can reveal right upper quadrant tenderness, especially with inspiration, (Murphy’s sign) and guarding (31). [sharinginhealth.ca]

• Dyspepsia

  […] steadily over 10-20 minutes, and then gradually wanes Pain that is constant; not relieved by emesis, antacids, defecation, flatus, or positional changes; and sometimes accompanied by diaphoresis, nausea, and vomiting Nonspecific symptoms (eg, indigestion, dyspepsia [emedicine.medscape.com]

  Pain attacks in non-complicated and complicated gallstone disease have a characteristic pattern and are accompanied by dyspepsia in most patients: the results of a prospective study. Scand J Gastroenterol. 2006; 41 :93–101. [ PubMed ] 37. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

• Fat Intolerance

  Some examples of healing foods to incorporate are: Healthy, unrefined fats and oils. - An impaired liver cannot digest fat well and can create symptoms of fat intolerance (some examples are: pains in neck and shoulders, fatigue after eating, bloating, [bodyecology.com]

• Biliary Colic

  While cholecystectomy for FGBD appears safe, the outcomes are comparable to cholecystectomy for biliary colic and thus are not without risk. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. [ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]

  Recurrent biliary colic equals chronic cholecystitis. [rcemlearning.co.uk]

  When gallstones cause episodes of biliary colic, it's known as uncomplicated gallstone disease. [nhs.uk]

• Flushing

  Submit Tips You can try to flush your gallbladder using an alternative medical treatment for liver and gallbladder health. However, the flush isn't for everyone. [wikihow.com]

  A gallbladder cleanse, also known as a gallbladder flush, a liver cleanse or a liver flush is an alternative remedy for potentially ridding the body of gallstones and other toxins. [liversupport.com]

  Some practitioners advocate stone removal for younger patients on the assumption they are at greater risk for complications at a later date. 3 Pharmacists are apt to receive questions about a gallbladder flush (also called a liver flush), a folklore treatment [pharmacytimes.com]

• Anger

  Take time to eat in a leisurely fashion, setting aside anger and stress. [virginiahopkinstestkits.com]

• Dark Urine

  Common symptoms of a gallstone include: Long-term abdominal pain Nausea Vomiting Fever Yellowing of the skin Dark urine Light-colored stool Complications of gallstones If you have any of these symptoms, it is important to see your physician. [henryford.com]

  Symptoms include a yellow discolouration of the skin and whites of eyes, itchy skin, pale bowel motions and dark urine. Jaundice together with fever can be extremely serious, and you should seek urgent medical attention. [healthxchange.sg]

  Signs of infection include jaundice, light colored stools, fever, chills and/or dark urine. Seek medical help right away if you have these symptoms. [healdove.com]

  If gallstones have moved into the main bile duct to the intestine (the common bile duct) then infection is even more serious and may result in jaundice, dark urine and pale motions in addition to the symptoms of cholecystitis. [netdoctor.co.uk]

In order to diagnose gallbladder disease, a preliminary examination through abdominal examination should be conducted. This would give information about the exact location of pain in the abdomen along with presence of tenderness if any. Following this, various other diagnostic procedures would also be required, which would include [7]:

• Medical history: A detailed medical history of the patient is gathered in order to obtain a family medical profile. Heredity is one of the major factors for gallbladder disease which would serve as an important clue in the diagnosis.
• Physical examination: A physical examination of the abdomen is necessary including Murphy’s signs. Such a type of method would shows signs of palpable gallbladder which would suggest gallbladder disease.
• Imaging studies: Chest and abdomen X-ray would be done to diagnose pneumonia and cholecystitis. Ultrasonography is also indicated to detect presence of gallstones, thickening of the walls and other problems with the gallbladder [8].

In gallbladder diseases, wherein there is no presence of stones, but signs of inflammation are evident, antibiotics form the basis of treatment regime. However, when there are recurrent bouts and no signs of improvement are present then surgery is recommended [9].

In many instances it has been seen, that surgical removal of the gallbladder is the best option. Surgical procedures are carried out using 2 methods: either opening up the abdomen or laprocospically. Method involving the latter procedures enables faster recovery and leaves minimal scars as only 3 holes are made to conduct the method. This is the preferred method, when there are no urgent complications that need immediate attention [10].

Prognosis of the condition is favorable with prompt treatment regime. Gallstones can occasionally cause pain if they temporary block the passage of the bile duct. When there is permanent blockage, the condition can turn life threatening indicating immediate removal of the organ [5].

Development of gallstones is one of the major types of gallbladder disease, having a high incidence rate. Gallstones form when substances in the bile form hard particles which can be the size of a grain up to that of a golf ball. Women after pregnancy are at an increased risk of developing gallstones. Women who have undergone hormone replacement therapy are also in the risk category. In addition to these, other risk factors that significantly contribute towards gallbladder disease include faulty dietary habits, heredity, obesity and slow intestinal transit [2].

Gallbladder disease has become a relatively common phenomenon, affecting about 20 million Americans. The incidence of cholelithiasis is estimated to be about 0.15% to 0.22% amongst the pediatric population [3].

Gallbladder cancer is a rare occurrence in the developed countries. In US, an estimated 5000 cases occur each year. Amongst the developing countries, the incidence of gallbladder cancer is higher in South American Indian and North Indian population.

Anatomically, the gallbladder is a pear shaped organ located beneath the liver. Its major function is to store bile juice, which is essential for digestion of fats in the small intestine. The gallbladder releases the bile through the bile duct. This is a tube like structure that connects the gallbladder and liver to the small intestine.

Gallbladder disease may set in, when there is some kind of physical obstruction that takes place preventing the flow of bile through the duct. As a result of this phenomenon, there is inflammation accompanied by irritation in the wall of the gallbladder. Problems related to the gallbladder get corrected once the organ is removed [4].

Diet plays a major role in prevention of gallbladder disease. Individuals who adhere to a balanced diet rich in omega 3 fatty acids, fruits, vegetables and nuts are at a lowered risk of developing gallbladder disease. Foods rich in fat and simple sugars significantly increase the risk of the disease.

Diseases of the gallbladder are common worldwide. A type of condition, wherein the gallbladder undergoes inflammation is termed as cholecystitis. It occurs when there is development of gallstones that significantly obstruct the bile ducts. This can eventually lead to occurrence of gangrene or necrosis. In addition to cholecystitis, other gallbladder diseases include primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), cancer of the gallbladder, biliary enteric fistulas and gallbladder polyps [1].

• Definition: Gallbladder disease is a condition that affects the functioning of the gallbladder. The primary function of the gallbladder is to store bile that is primarily produced in the liver and used for digestion of fats.
• Cause: Development of gallstones blocks the bile duct, obstructing its way and paving way for onset of gallbladder disease. Women are at an increased risk of contracting this disease condition than males. Faulty dietary habits and being overweight and obese predisposes an individual to develop gallbladder disease.
• Symptoms: Several types of gallbladder disease often share similar signs and symptoms. Individuals with cholestatis, suffer from jaundice, dark colored urine, splenomegaly and hepatomegaly. In case of cholelithiasis, individuals suffer from abdominal pain along with pain in the epigastric region. In conditions of cholecystitis, there is fever, followed by pain in upper quadrant region and development of jaundice.
• Diagnosis: Preliminary physical examination of the abdomen forms the basis of the diagnostic procedure. In addition, a detailed medical history would be carried out to elicit information of family history of the disease. In addition, X-ray of the abdomen and chest would also be required to detect any underlying disease condition. Ultrasonography is also indicated in diagnosis of gallbladder disease.
• Treatment: Antibiotics form the preliminary treatment regime if there are signs of inflammation and no evidence of gallstones is present. When antibiotics do not work, then surgery is the last resort.

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4. Kalloo AN, Kantsevoy SV. Gallstones and biliary disease. Prim Care 2001; 28:591.
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6. Stringer MD. Informed consent and choice in cholecystectomy. Pediatr Surg Int. Oct 2004;20(10):741-3.
7. Kalimi R, Gecelter GR, Caplin D, et al. Diagnosis of acute cholecystitis: sensitivity of sonography, cholescintigraphy, and combined sonography-cholescintigraphy. J Am Coll Surg 2001; 193:609.
8. Barakos JA, Ralls PW, Lapin SA, et al. Cholelithiasis: evaluation with CT. Radiology 1987; 162:415.
9. Sicklick JK, Camp MS, Lillemoe KD, et al. Surgical management of bile duct injuries sustained during laparoscopic cholecystectomy: perioperative results in 200 patients. Ann Surg. May 2005;241(5):786-92; discussion 793-5.
10. Siddiqui S, Newbrough S, Alterman D, Anderson A, Kennedy A Jr. Efficacy of laparoscopic cholecystectomy in the pediatric population. J Pediatr Surg. Jan 2008;43(1):109-13; discussion 113