Gallbladder Disease
Usually, gallstones do not cause any problems, but if gallstones block the gall bladder outlet, trapping the bile in the gallbladder, pain and infection in the gallbladder can result. If not treated both bile duct infections or pancreatitis can be life-threatening. With prompt diagnosis and treatment, the outcome is usually very good.
Types of Gallbladder Disease
Cholecystitis
Calculous cholecystitis is where gallstones obstruct the outlet of the gallbladder causing inflammation of the walls of the gallbladder. This condition can lead to swelling, pain and sometimes infection.
Acalculous Cholecystitis
When inflammation of the gallbladder occurs without the presence of gallstones it is referred to as acalculous cholecystitis. This gallbladder condition tends to occur with gallbladder injury caused as a result of:
- surgery,
- prolonged fasting,
- critical illnesses or
- when a problem with the immune system occurs.
Treatments of Gallbladder Disease
Treatments depend on the type of gallbladder disease. The initial treatment of cholecystitis may include antibiotics, however, in the presence of gallstones, surgery may be the treatment of the first choice.
Where patients experience multiple gallbladder episodes, an operation called cholecystectomy is often re, fortunately, the gallbladder is an organ you can live without. Gallbladder removal most often results commended. A cholecystectomy involves the surgical removal of the gallbladder.
Surgical Treatments for Gallbladder Disease
Of all the surgical procedures for which a laparoscopy is an option, cholecystectomy - gallbladder removal - is the most widely recognised and accepted.
The main benefit of this procedure is that it is a minimally invasive procedure. Minimally invasive surgery means "Less Pain" and "Faster Recovery".
There is less incisional pain that occurs with standard abdominal surgery, so the recovery time is much quicker. Also, the scars on the abdomen are much smaller when compared with traditional surgery. Laparoscopic surgery is now the standard method for removing the gallbladder.
There are new techniques for surgically removing the gallbladder such as:
- single-incision surgery,
- needlescopic surgery and
- natural orifice transluminal surgery
Indications of Gallbladder Removal
Gallbladder removal may be indicated when:
- an attack hasn't settled after 12 hours
- there are complications such as jaundice or pancreatitis
- a patient suffers recurrent pain
Other Related Gallbladder Disorders
Other complications associated with gallstones and the gallbladder may include
- Biliary colic - recurrent brief episodes of gallbladder pain without inflammation of the gallbladder
- Pancreatitis - as a result of a gallstone that moves down the bile duct to block the outlet of the pancreas.
- Cholangitis - Cholangitis is an infection of the common bile duct.
Untreated Gallbladder Disease
If left untreated the gallbladder can become severely inflamed, causing some of the tissue to die and decay resulting in gallbladder rupture or septicaemia (blood poisoning), a life-threatening condition. In some cases, an abnormal channel may develop between the gallbladder and gut due to the inflammation.
