Wednesday, May 16, 2018

Basic Principles Regarding Gallbladder Surgery Queens NY Patients May Find Beneficial

By Matthew Powell


Shaped like a pear, the gall bladder is located on the under surface of the liver. The two are directly linked by a duct system. They work together in the production, storage and release of bile into the alimentary canal to facilitate digestion of fats. This linkage can be interfered with when the channels get obstructed for whatsoever reason, an occurrence that may necessitate an operation to restore normal flow. These are some of the basic facts regarding gallbladder surgery Queens NY patients may wish to know.

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.

In addition, a patient suspected to have gallbladder disease may have yellow eyes and skin if severe. Frequent episodes of vomiting can result in loss of the require fluid volume in the body. Therefore, these patient need to be monitored for any signs of dehydration such as dry, sunken eyes, disheveled skin and reduced urination. Fever and pain should be controlled using the appropriate drugs.

While gallstones are manageable, they may result in recurrence and fatal complications if misdiagnosed or if detected late. Ongoing inflammation can cause organ perforation, resulting in spillage of bile into the surrounding abdominal cavity. This is usually an emergency as can result in permanent damage of key organs in the abdomen.

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.

Two options are available for gall bladder surgery, open surgery or laparoscopic. Open surgery is associated with a higher risk of infection, more blood loss and it takes longer for the patient to heal. Moreover, it leaves the patient with a larger, less attractive physical scar.

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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