Overview:
Gallbladder disease is very common. If you are having symptoms, surgery to remove the gallbladder can relieve pain and prevent future attacks. Rest assured, you can live a full, healthy life without your gallbladder. The gallbladder sits just beneath the liver in the upper right side of the abdomen. Its job is to store and release bile, a fluid made by the liver. Bile helps break down fats in the food you eat. Normally, bile moves smoothly through the digestive system. But if stones form in the gallbladder, they can block the flow of bile. This can cause pain and lead to serious problems. Most gallbladder problems are caused by gallstones. These form when substances in the bile crystallize and become solid. In some cases, the stones don’t cause any symptoms. In others, they irritate the wall of the gallbladder. The stones may also move into and block nearby ducts.
Symptoms may include but are not limited to:
- Severe pain or aching in the upper abdomen. Pain may come and go or be constant.
- Painful attacks, often after a high-fat meal.
- A dull ache beneath the ribs or breastbone.
- Pain in the back or right shoulder blade.
- Nausea, upset stomach, heartburn, or vomiting.
- Loss of appetite.
- Fever (if gallbladder is inflamed)
- Jaundice (symptoms include yellowish skin and eyes, dark urine, and itching)
Surgical Procedure:
The type of operation is called a cholecystectomy:
- Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
- Open Cholecystectomy
If you have a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, it is done using a laparoscope. This is a long, thin device that contains a small light and camera. It sends live video from inside the body to a monitor. This lets the doctor see inside the abdomen during surgery. Only small incisions are needed to insert the scope and other tools. This is the most common method for removing the gallbladder.
If you have an open cholecystectomy, a single, larger incision is used. The doctor reaches the gallbladder and performs the surgery through this incision. It will likely take longer to recover from open surgery.
Please contact us to schedule an appointment with our surgeons, Dr. Stone and Dr. Sufficool.
Krames staywell. (2014). Gallbladder Surgery: Understanding laparoscopic and open procedures. USA: The StayWell Company, LLC.