| The most frequent malfunctions of the | | | | surgery will be needed. |
| gallbladder appear due to the presence | | | | Sometimes the gallstones are localized |
| of gallstones. In order to treat the | | | | inside the bile ducts, and so, before |
| disease, the cause must be removed. The | | | | the surgery a gastroenterologist will |
| quickest way to remove the gallstones is | | | | use endoscopic retrograde |
| surgery. | | | | cholangiopancreatography to find and |
| The name for this type of surgery is | | | | extract the gallstones. The doctor can |
| cholecystectomy. Every year, 500,000 | | | | find the gallstones with the help of the |
| Americans get a cholecystectomy and the | | | | endoscope and a special dye which |
| number is increasing as time goes by due | | | | enlightens the bile ducts and shown on a |
| to an unhealthy diet. | | | | monitor the gallstone's location. The |
| The cholecystectomy is usually done with | | | | gallstone is removed with the help of a |
| the help of the laparoscope. In order to | | | | tiny basket attached to the endoscope |
| use the laparoscope, the surgeon will | | | | which is guided through the stomach and |
| have to do three little incisions in the | | | | into the small intestine. This procedure |
| patient's abdomen. After that he will | | | | can also be applied to those who have |
| introduce through these incisions inside | | | | had a gallbladder surgery but developed |
| the abdomen the needed laparoscopic | | | | after several months or years gallstones |
| instruments and a tiny video camera. | | | | inside the bile ducts. |
| With the help of the camera the surgeon | | | | Sometimes the problem with gallstones |
| will see the organs inside the abdomen | | | | can be solved temporarily by using |
| and will be able to use the instruments | | | | nonsurgical methods. These methods are |
| in order to perform the surgery. The | | | | recommended to those who can not bare a |
| gallbladder will be separated from the | | | | surgery and have cholesterol stones. |
| liver, then the cystic duct will be cut | | | | After a while the stones will form again |
| and then the gallbladder will be removed | | | | and will need to be removed again. |
| from the abdomen through one of those | | | | One method consists of dissolving the |
| tiny incisions. | | | | stones with a special solution made out |
| Using the laparoscope surgery the | | | | of bile acid. Te substances are: |
| patients will recover faster and will | | | | ursodiol and chenodiol and they are |
| suffer less pain because the lesions of | | | | efficient against small stones. The |
| the abdomen are significantly smaller | | | | treatment might be necessary to be |
| and less that those made when performing | | | | followed for several months until the |
| a classical surgery. | | | | whole stone is dissolved. |
| Sometimes during the laparoscopic | | | | Another method of dissolving the stones |
| surgery, an infection or other obstacles | | | | is by injecting inside the gallbladder |
| might be seen and then the surgeon will | | | | special solutions like methyl tertbutyl |
| be forced to switch to the classical | | | | ether which can dissolve the stone in 1 |
| surgery. This opened surgery will | | | | to 3 days. This procedure is effective |
| require a recuperation period of 5 to 7 | | | | for the noncalcified cholesterol stones. |
| days inside the hospital and several | | | | Having the gallbladder removed is not a |
| weeks at home. | | | | tragedy; many people get this kind of |
| Complications can occur during | | | | surgery every year and still live like |
| gallbladder surgery, like injuring the | | | | before. The only problem is the diarrhea |
| bile ducts. This can lead to a leak of | | | | which occurs in 1% of the patients but |
| the bile which will cause pain and | | | | can be solved with a special diet. |
| infection. In order to fix that another | | | | |