Gallbladder Surgery

• Female gender
• Age over 40
• Obesity
• Pregnancy
• High-fat diet
• High-cholesterol diet
• Family history of gallstones
• Rapid weight loss
• Certain medications (eg: cholesterol-lowering drugs)
• Diseases (eg: liver disease, diabetes)
• Chronic use of anti-acid medications (eg: PPIs, H2-receptor antagonists)

Gallstones and Cholecystitis:

• Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the upper-right portion of your abdomen
• Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the centre of your abdomen, just below your breastbone
• Back pain between your shoulder blades
• Pain in your right shoulder
• Nausea or vomiting
• Fever or chills

Chronic Gallbladder Disease:

• Indigestion
• Bloating
• Intolerance of fatty foods
• Belching
• Gas
• Abdominal discomfort after meals

Advanced Disease:

• Yellowing of the skin and eyes (jaundice)
• Clay-coloured stools
• Dark urine

Gallbladder conditions are typically diagnosed using a combination of clinical evaluation, blood tests, and imaging studies. Commonly used imaging tests include:

• Ultrasound
• CT scan
• HIDA scan (cholescintigraphy)
• Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)

Non-Surgical:

• For gallstones without symptoms, treatment may not be required.
• Dietary changes to reduce fat intake may help manage symptoms.
• Oral dissolution therapy is sometimes used to dissolve cholesterol gallstones, though it is not often effective and is used less commonly than other treatments.
• ERCP may be used to remove gallstones in the bile duct.

Surgical:

• Cholecystectomy: The standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. This can be performed laparoscopically (minimally invasive) or via an open surgery.
• Gallbladder Polyp Removal: Polyps larger than 1 cm usually require surgical removal due to the risk of becoming cancerous.

For those with gallbladder disease, maintaining a healthy weight and eating a balanced diet low in fat and cholesterol can help manage symptoms. If surgery is required, most patients can return to normal function without a gallbladder, as bile will flow directly from the liver into the small intestine.

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Injury to nearby structures, such as the bile duct, liver, and intestines
• Postcholecystectomy syndrome (PCS), symptoms of which can include digestive problems and persistent pain in the upper right abdomen

Post-surgery, patients often return to their normal diet and activities gradually. They may experience some diarrhea initially, which usually improves with time. It is important to follow the surgeon’s specific recommendations for recovery and to attend follow-up appointments to ensure proper healing.

For gallbladder cancer, the treatment depends on the stage of the disease and may include surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy.