Guiyang Woman Has 4 Rare Turquoise Gallstones Removed; Doctors Warn Against Skipping Breakfast
SingTao · 2 SOURCESabout 1 hour ago4 MIN
Summary
A 28-year-old woman in Guiyang, Guizhou province underwent treatment for gallstones at Guizhou Guiyang Gallstone Disease Hospital, where surgeons removed four rare turquoise-colored stones that resembled turquoise gemstones. The patient's habits of skipping breakfast while indulging in late-night high-fat meals were identified as key risk factors. Following a successful minimally invasive gallbladder-preserving surgery, she recovered well with her gallbladder function intact.
Key Points
- Deputy Director Zhang Zhiyong (張智勇) of Hepatobiliary Surgery performed the gallbladder-preserving procedure at Guizhou Guiyang Gallstone Disease Hospital, extracting four unusually bright green stones
- The patient had a long-standing pattern of skipping breakfast while consuming excessive evening meals and greasy midnight snacks, causing bile to stagnate and concentrate in her gallbladder
- Without breakfast to stimulate gallbladder contraction, bile remained stored from night until noon the following day, allowing cholesterol to crystallize and form stones
- The vivid green color indicates abnormal bile composition; most gallstones are typically yellow-brown or black, making this presentation clinically rare
- Prolonged gallstone presence can lead to cholecystitis, biliary colic, bile duct obstruction, pancreatitis, and increased gallbladder cancer risk
Why It Matters
This case highlights how irregular eating patterns commonly found among urban populations can have serious health consequences. The rarity of the turquoise stones underscores that gallbladder disease can manifest in unexpected ways, making regular medical check-ups and consistent meal timing essential preventive measures .
This case highlights how irregular eating patterns commonly found among urban populations can have serious health consequences. The rarity of the turquoise stones underscores that gallbladder disease can manifest in unexpected ways, making regular medical check-ups and consistent meal timing essential preventive measures .