Lee Hye-Young Hospitalized for Two Weeks Due to Gallstones
[Celebrity Health] Actress Lee Hye Young Hospitalized for Cholelithiasis
On the 22nd, she shared on her social media, "Over two weeks emergency room, hospitalization, and a procedure for gallstones. It's a really painful condition. Finally taking a break," along with photos of herself with her dogs.
Actor Son Tae-young commented, "Rest well, sister," while singer Yang Hee-eun cheered, "Hope you rest well and recover." Actress Oh Yeon-soo also comforted her, saying, "Must have been tough. Rest well and come back strong."
'Cholelithiasis', where bile hardens into solids
Gallstones, which troubled Lee Hye-young, are hardened deposits of digestive fluid in the gallbladder, forming stones. The gallbladder, a small pouch-like structure under the liver on the upper right side of the abdomen, stores bile used to aid fat digestion. It contracts during meals, pushing bile into the small intestine through the common bile duct to aid digestion.
Gallstones can form due to an excess of cholesterol, bile salts, or bilirubin in bile, hardening into stones. They are categorized into cholesterol and pigment stones based on their chemical composition. The prevalence of cholesterol stones is increasing due to Westernized diets.
Stomach aches and difficulty digesting fatty foods should be cause for concern
Particularly common among middle-aged women, factors contributing to gallstones include excess estrogen from pregnancy, oral contraceptives, and hormone replacement therapy causing hormonal imbalances.
Symptoms such as severe pain in the upper right abdomen, especially after consuming fatty foods and when digestion is poor, may indicate gallstones, even without gastrointestinal disease. If left untreated, complications such as cholecystitis, cholangitis, pancreatitis, or gallbladder cancer can worsen, necessitating proper treatment.
Diagnosis of gallstones involves abdominal ultrasound or endoscopy, with different treatments applied depending on their location. If symptoms are absent, monitoring may suffice, but if conditions like calcified gallbladder, abnormal bile duct junction, or large stones over 3cm are present, removal is necessary due to increased gallbladder cancer risk.
Gallstones within the liver appear as branching deposits and should be actively treated to prevent enlargement and potential complications such as liver abscess or intrahepatic bile duct cancer.
Regular meals and foods rich in fiber and unsaturated fatty acids help
To prevent gallstones, maintaining a regular and balanced diet is crucial. Skipping meals frequently for dieting disrupts hormone secretion needed for gallbladder bile discharge, increasing the risk of gallstone formation.
Reducing intake of saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol found in meats, butter, fried foods, and increasing consumption of fiber-rich foods that aid in bile binding and excretion is recommended. Additionally, foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids, such as nuts and fatty fish, help lower blood cholesterol levels.
Eating late at night stimulates bile discharge during sleep, potentially increasing cholesterol secretion in bile ducts and the risk of gallstones. Therefore, avoiding frequent late-night snacks is advisable.