Gallbladder

The gallbladder is a bag-shaped organ that lies under the liver and collects the bile from the liver. The average length is 10 cm and the width is 3 cm. It is under the liver in contact with the liver.

Task; It is used to collect, concentrate and send bile into the intestine by contraction when food from the stomach reaches the small intestine. So it helps to digest the food you eat. Various diseases such as stones, polyps, functional disorders and gallbladder cancer can occur in the gallbladder.

How gallstones are formed?

The bile released from the liver accumulates in the gallbladder. The water in the bile is absorbed to increase the density of the bile. It maintains its fluidity due to the mixture of various substances such as lecithin in the bile composition. However, various blood diseases, infections, mechanical problems that make bile flow difficult, factors that affect the changes in the components of the bile or bile flow, such as high cholesterol levels, impair the flowability of the bile and “sediments” appear in the Gallbladder. Gallbladder stones form when these deposits increase and accumulate over time.

Are gallbladder stones common?

It’s pretty common. Most gallbladder problems are caused by gallstones. It is present in 10-15% of the adult population in the West. The gallbladder stone incidence increases with age. In the United States, stones are present in the gallbladder in 20% of women 50 to 65 years of age and 5% of men.

What are the symptoms?

The majority of patients with gallbladder stones have no discomfort, and in most patients gallbladder stones are accidentally diagnosed for another reason by an ultrasound scan of the abdomen. However, when the stones in the gallbladder move due to gravity and block the exit of the gallbladder and prevent it from emptying, they begin to show signs. During this time, nausea and vomiting can be observed especially with the abdominal pain in the upper right. This pain, which can be felt on the right shoulder or between the two shoulder, occurs more often after eating. If gallstones fall into the main bile duct, jaundice or inflammation of the pancreas can occur from affecting the pancreatic duct. Both can seriously endanger life.

Treatment of gallstones

The gallbladder stones that cause discomfort are usually operated. Due to inflammation of the gallbladder, complaints are usually operated on urgently within the first three days. However, if the patient is not admitted within three days, it is recommended that inpatient medication and surgery be performed about 6 weeks after the ilness attack. These applications and recommendations vary depending on the abdomen symptoms, age, comorbidities and inflammation of the patient’s gallbladder. The actual discussion takes place in the gallstones, which were identified accidentally. Should all of these stones be operated on? It is anticipated that the stones that are not seen in this research can cause gallbladder infection, obstructive jaundice, bile duct inflammation, or pancreatitis in 20% in 20 years. Research suggests that the stones that have no symptoms can cause gallbladder inflammation, obstructive jaundice, bile duct inflammation, or pancreatitis in 20% in 20 years. For this reason, gallbladder stones that are identified as random should be assessed along with the additional diseases and age of the patient and a decision made for follow-up care or surgery.

How is the operation carried out?

The gallbladder is operated on, not stones. Because it is a gallbladder problem, it produces stones. If the gallbladder is left in place, it regenerates the stone. Laparoscopic surgery is recommended. In laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, 3 or 4 small 0.5 and 1 cm incisions are made.

In this way:

Pain is less

The incision is much smaller

It is possible to get up early and return to everyday life.

The duration of the hospital stay is short.

The patient who is undergoing laparoscopic gallbladder surgery is usually hospitalized on the day of the surgery. The patient can take light food 6 hours after the operation and can get up the next day after the operation.