Is it possible????

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Specializes in Med Surg, Peds, OB, L/D, Ortho.

hi all! quick question.......is it possible for a common bile duct stone to become dislodged by ultrasound? can the stones be "blasted" like kidney stones? thanks and have a blessed day!

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Specializes in Acute Care Cardiac, Education, Prof Practice.

[wiki]Sonography is generally described as a "safe test" because it does not use ionizing radiation, which imposes hazards, such as cancer production and chromosome breakage. However, ultrasonic energy has two potential physiological effects: it enhances inflammatory response; and it can heat soft tissue.[6] As of May 23, 2008, the AIUM published an article called "American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine Consensus Report on Potential Bioeffects of Diagnostic Ultrasound: Executive Summary" stating that there are indeed some potential dangers to the fetus in administering ultrasound tests. They are: "Postnatal thermal effects, fetal thermal effects, postnatal mechanical effects, fetal mechanical effects, and bioeffects considerations for ultrasound contrast agents."[7] Ultrasound energy produces a mechanical pressure wave through soft tissue. This pressure wave may cause microscopic bubbles in living tissues, and distortion of the cell membrane, influencing ion fluxes and intracellular activity. When ultrasound enters the body, it causes molecular friction and heats the tissues slightly. This effect is very minor as normal tissue perfusion dissipates heat. With high intensity, it can also cause small pockets of gas in body fluids or tissues to expand and contract/collapse in a phenomenon called cavitation (this is not known to occur at diagnostic power levels used by modern diagnostic ultrasound units). The long-term effects of tissue heating and cavitation have shown decrease in size of red blood cells in cattle when exposed to intensity higher than diagnostic levels.[8] However, long term effects due to ultrasound exposure at diagnostic intensity is not known.[/wiki]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ultrasound

I sure hope not or we might have a lot of "blasted" babies during fetal US!!

It was probably on the move and happened to do so after the test. I would gander the pressure and manipulation of the soft tissue during the test (as I have had this test and it is not at all comfortable) may have caused the stone to move in opposition to thinking it got somehow disturbed by the actual frequencies.

Tait

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Not through "ultrasounds", but through Lithotripsy, yes.

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Specializes in Med Surg, Peds, OB, L/D, Ortho.

Thanks yall. I really didn't think so either but what a coincidink! ERCP in my immediate future. Oh Joy!

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