Gallbladder Surgery

The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped organ located in the human abdomen. The gallbladder stores about 50 milliliters of bile, a substance used in digestion to neutralize acids and emulsify fats. The gallbladder is connected to the liver by the biliary tract.

There are two main reasons that a person would undergo gallbladder surgery. The first is gallbladder cancer, a relatively uncommon form of cancer. If diagnosed before the cancer has spread, it can be cured by removing the gallbladder. The second is gallstones. Gallstones are small, crystalline bodies that can cause intense pain in the upper abdomen or the back (usually under the right shoulder). Scientists do not fully understand what causes gallstones.

5 Things You Need to Know

  1. Gallbladders can be removed using laparoscopic surgery (several small incisions in the abdomen) or open surgery (a single large incision). Most patients prefer laparoscopic surgery, as it is less invasive. However, laparoscopic surgery is not an option if the gallbladder is severely inflamed, if the patient has high pressure in blood vessels in the liver or if the patient is in her third trimester of pregnancy.
  2. More than 500,000 Americans have gallbladder surgery every year.
  3. As many as 25 percent of people will have gallstones, although some will experience no symptoms.
  4. Interestingly, the lack of a gallbladder seems to have no negative effect on most people. The body no longer stores bile between meals, but this has no apparent effect on digestion. Some scientists have surmised that the gallbladder may have played a more important role in digestion for prehistoric humans, whose diet was significantly different from what we eat today.
  5. Gallstones from animals are highly sought after as aphrodisiacs in some cultures.

3 Questions You Need to Ask Your Doctor

  1. Can my gallstone pain be alleviated through nonsurgical methods?
  2. How long will my recovery from gallbladder surgery take?
  3. What are the possible complications that can arise from gallbladder surgery?

Also Known As: Cholecystectomy

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