Gall Bladder Surgery

Gall bladder or cholecyst is a small, pear-shaped, non-vital organ that helps in the process of digestion. It is located just below the right lobe of liver and stores bile. Bile or gall is an alkaline greenish-yellow fluid that is secreted by the hepatocytes or liver cells. The constituents of bile are water, cholesterol, bile salts and bile pigments. Gall bladder (gallbladder) stores bile in between meals only, however during a fatty meal it contracts and delivers bile through the bile ducts in the small intestine and helps in the digestion of lipids.

Gall Bladder Stones

Gall bladder stones (gallstones or choleliths) are crystalline bodies formed within the body due to the compaction of bile components, particularly the cholesterol and the bile pigment or bilirubin. The process of formation of gallstones is known as cholelithiasis (chole meaning bile, Lithia meaning stone and sis meaning process). They are one of the most common causes of gall bladder diseases. Gallstones can be as small as a sand grain or as large as a golf ball and their number may vary from one to many, in terms of hundreds. They can occur anywhere in the path of bile secretion, in the gallbladder or in the bile duct. They block the normal flow of bile when they are present in any of the ducts that carry bile from the liver to the intestine. Gallstones can also cause inflammation of the gallbladder, known as cholecystitis. Mostly, cholecystitis is associated with infection in the gallbladder.

Gallstones formation are caused by a combination of factors such as age, sex, family history, weight, body chemistry, diet, and gallbladder movement.

Gall Bladder Surgery

Symptoms of gallstones are not seen in the initial stages of stone formation. However, when the gallstones reach to a certain size of more than 8 mm, patients suffer from intense pain in the upper part of the abdomen that can continue for 30 minutes to several hours. This symptom is common to all gallstone patients and is known as gallstone attack or biliary colic. Patients may also suffer from vomiting, indigestion and fever. An ultrasound technique is a must for finding gallstones. Other tests may include Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and Cholescintigraphy (HIDA scan).

Gallbladder surgery for removal of gallbladder is recommended for patients with severe symptoms of gallstones and for patient with cholecystitis. A human body can function well without a gall bladder, provided certain precautions are being taken regarding diet and other medications. Studies have found out that there is a 99% chance of getting rid of recurrent gall bladder attacks by undergoing a gallbladder surgery.

Gallbladder surgery or cholecystectomy can be done either by traditional or laparoscopic method. In traditional method, the gallbladder is removed by making a single 5-8 inch long incision in the abdomen portion. The cut is made just below the ribs on the right side and reaches slightly below the waist. This traditional method is also called an open cholecystectomy.

In a laparoscopic cholecystectomy or keyhole surgery, there are four tiny incisions (0.5-1.0 cm) instead of a single large cut as in case of traditional method. The laparoscope (an instrument for observing the structures inside the abdomen and pelvis) is placed by making a tiny cut (1 cm) below the navel. Second and third incisions are located in the abdomen above the right hip. The forth cut is made in the middle of the chest, just below the ribs. In the surgery, usually the bile is suctioned out first and later, the deflated gallbladder is removed through the incision below the navel.

Laparoscopic technique is more common than open cholecystectomy, as the pain after surgery is less and postoperative stay in the hospital is minimal. Overall recovery is much faster after laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

There are certain complications following gallbladder surgery such as pain in the shoulder and belly, injury, inflammation, bleeding, infection, loss of appetite, nausea and sometimes, diarrhea. However, patients regain their normal condition within 2-3 weeks time. Consult with the physician for any recommendations on gallbladder diets or any other precautions as such.