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