Working hand in hand with the liver, the gall bladder is a minor organ in the body that helps to store and concentrate bile which is released into the digestive tract when fat is available for digestion. All this is made possible through a well organized system of tubes or channels arising from the liver, through the gallbladder to the alimentary canal. Unfortunately, this system may be compromised to a point where surgery has to be done to bring back normal function. Consequent sections of this article give more details about gallbladder surgery Queens NY residents may find useful.
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.
Gallstones present as abdominal pain in the region where the bladder is located, that is the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The pain is usually intermittent and may be associated with food intake. It usually is an intense pain that may last several hours. This happens when a stone is released from the gallbladder and gets lodged into one of the biliary ducts (transport channels). The stone travels back and forth due to peristaltic waves within the ducts hence the intermittency of the pain. The itensity of discomfort is directly proportional to the size and number of stones.
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.
Management of gallstones should be given the attention it deserves because negligence can lead to irreversible damage of critical organs in the body. The presence of stones triggers an inflammatory response that if left to go on without intervention, can result in spillage of bile once the gallbladder gets perforated.
The definitive treatment for gallstones is removal of stones together with the gallbladder to prevent recurrence. Removal of the gallbladder through an operation is referred to as cholecystectomy. Before performing a cholecystectomy, the doctor will view your gall bladder and the surrounding tissues through an imaging technique such as an ultrasound in order to study the diseased area. Just like any other form of operation, specific blood tests have to be carried to out to ensure the patient can tolerate the procedure.
Surgery can be done either laparoscopically or via open technique. Laparoscopic surgery results in fewer incisions and therefore has a better cosmetic outcome in the long run. On the other hand, the open technique takes much longer, is associated with more complications during the operation and leaves the patient with large hideous scars in the long run.
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.
Gallstones present as abdominal pain in the region where the bladder is located, that is the right upper quadrant of the abdomen. The pain is usually intermittent and may be associated with food intake. It usually is an intense pain that may last several hours. This happens when a stone is released from the gallbladder and gets lodged into one of the biliary ducts (transport channels). The stone travels back and forth due to peristaltic waves within the ducts hence the intermittency of the pain. The itensity of discomfort is directly proportional to the size and number of stones.
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.
Management of gallstones should be given the attention it deserves because negligence can lead to irreversible damage of critical organs in the body. The presence of stones triggers an inflammatory response that if left to go on without intervention, can result in spillage of bile once the gallbladder gets perforated.
The definitive treatment for gallstones is removal of stones together with the gallbladder to prevent recurrence. Removal of the gallbladder through an operation is referred to as cholecystectomy. Before performing a cholecystectomy, the doctor will view your gall bladder and the surrounding tissues through an imaging technique such as an ultrasound in order to study the diseased area. Just like any other form of operation, specific blood tests have to be carried to out to ensure the patient can tolerate the procedure.
Surgery can be done either laparoscopically or via open technique. Laparoscopic surgery results in fewer incisions and therefore has a better cosmetic outcome in the long run. On the other hand, the open technique takes much longer, is associated with more complications during the operation and leaves the patient with large hideous scars in the long run.
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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