The gall bladder is small organ in your body, just adjacent to the liver, whose function is to store a special juice referred to as bile produced by the liver. Bile is released whenever there is fat to be digested in the gut. The juices reach the intestines through channels that connect the liver, gall bladder, pancreas and bowel. In some instances, these ducts can get blocked resulting in a diseased sac that may require surgery. These are some of the basic principles of gallbladder surgery Queens NY patients may be interested in.
One of the typical conditions which may necessitate an operation is the presence of gallstones. This simply refers to formation of crystals in the gallbladder, resulting in clogging and inflammation. The stones can be made of cholesterol or calcium and other elements. The latter are also known as pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are yellow in colour, while pigment stones are black or brown. Factors that predispose an individual to suffer from gallstones include a previous history of the same, obesity, dehydration and age over forty.
In the typical setting, the patient describes their pain as extremely intense with variable duration and having some association to eating. When the doctor examines them, more often than not, tenderness is noted in the upper right quadrant of their abdomen. Intermittency of the pain is a result of dislodgement of the stones from the bladder itself into the narrower duct system. It gets displaced back and forth due to periodic contraction and relaxation of the muscle layer within this system. Complete impaction of a stone within the limited duct space can cause severe discomfort to the patient.
A patient with gallstones may also have a swollen abdomen, yellow discouration of the skin and regular bouts of vomiting. Clearly, such patients are very sick and should be closely observed. Dehydration can result in a reduction in body fluid volume and eventual compromise in blood supply to vital organs. It is therefore critical to replace any losses with the right amount of intravenous fluids. Their pain should be taken care of using the necessary pain medication.
It is important for the doctor to have a high index of suspicion because the consequences of untreated gallstones are unpalatable. This is because the associated inflammatory process and the building up of pressure within the limited space can result in the organ bursting and leakage of its contents. This further stimulates a new inflammatory process in the surrounding structures. The situation should therefore be treated with urgency to avoid further damage.
The mainstay of treatment for gallstones is gall bladder removal, otherwise known as cholecystectomy. Preoperatively, certain blood tests including liver function test should be performed to ensure the patient is fit for surgery. Also, an abdominal ultrasound needs to be done to confirm the diagnosis and to define the region of disease. Surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia.
The operation can either be laparoscopic or open depending on the resources available. Laparoscopy is, however, more preferred because it carries less risk given the fact that only small incisions are made, limited to the target area. Consequently, cosmetic results are better than if one goes for open surgery.
The average duration for a cholecystectomy done laparoscopically is less than an hour. It may take longer if one opts for open surgery and if complications arise during the procedure. Some of the risks of this procedure include excessive blood loss, damage to surrounding organs and infection. Being under general anesthesia, the patient may also be at risk of aspiration, cardiac arrest and other anesthesia related complications. The good news is that after a successful cholecystectomy, there is no chance of getting gallstones in the future.
One of the typical conditions which may necessitate an operation is the presence of gallstones. This simply refers to formation of crystals in the gallbladder, resulting in clogging and inflammation. The stones can be made of cholesterol or calcium and other elements. The latter are also known as pigment stones. Cholesterol stones are yellow in colour, while pigment stones are black or brown. Factors that predispose an individual to suffer from gallstones include a previous history of the same, obesity, dehydration and age over forty.
In the typical setting, the patient describes their pain as extremely intense with variable duration and having some association to eating. When the doctor examines them, more often than not, tenderness is noted in the upper right quadrant of their abdomen. Intermittency of the pain is a result of dislodgement of the stones from the bladder itself into the narrower duct system. It gets displaced back and forth due to periodic contraction and relaxation of the muscle layer within this system. Complete impaction of a stone within the limited duct space can cause severe discomfort to the patient.
A patient with gallstones may also have a swollen abdomen, yellow discouration of the skin and regular bouts of vomiting. Clearly, such patients are very sick and should be closely observed. Dehydration can result in a reduction in body fluid volume and eventual compromise in blood supply to vital organs. It is therefore critical to replace any losses with the right amount of intravenous fluids. Their pain should be taken care of using the necessary pain medication.
It is important for the doctor to have a high index of suspicion because the consequences of untreated gallstones are unpalatable. This is because the associated inflammatory process and the building up of pressure within the limited space can result in the organ bursting and leakage of its contents. This further stimulates a new inflammatory process in the surrounding structures. The situation should therefore be treated with urgency to avoid further damage.
The mainstay of treatment for gallstones is gall bladder removal, otherwise known as cholecystectomy. Preoperatively, certain blood tests including liver function test should be performed to ensure the patient is fit for surgery. Also, an abdominal ultrasound needs to be done to confirm the diagnosis and to define the region of disease. Surgery is usually done under general anaesthesia.
The operation can either be laparoscopic or open depending on the resources available. Laparoscopy is, however, more preferred because it carries less risk given the fact that only small incisions are made, limited to the target area. Consequently, cosmetic results are better than if one goes for open surgery.
The average duration for a cholecystectomy done laparoscopically is less than an hour. It may take longer if one opts for open surgery and if complications arise during the procedure. Some of the risks of this procedure include excessive blood loss, damage to surrounding organs and infection. Being under general anesthesia, the patient may also be at risk of aspiration, cardiac arrest and other anesthesia related complications. The good news is that after a successful cholecystectomy, there is no chance of getting gallstones in the future.
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