What is a Gall Bladder Surgery ?
Gallbladder surgery, also referred to as Cholecystectomy, is the procedure that involves the removal of the gallbladder (a pear-shaped organ below the liver on the upper side of the abdomen) .
The surgery is necessary if a person experiences pain from gallstones that obstructs the flow of the bile. The procedure is minimally invasive and uses small incisions in the abdomen that allows a surgeon to gain access of the gallbladder with the help of surgical tools such as a laparoscope (a high definition camera). Sometimes a big incision is also made for removing the gallbladder and the procedure is known as open Cholecystectomy.
Symptoms of Gallstones
- Infection of the gallbladder
- Significant abdominal pain
- Significant recurrence of indigestion
- Serious vomiting or nausea attributed to gallbladder stones
Who should consider Gallbladder Surgery
The laparoscopy has many benefits but the procedure may not be suitable for those patients who earlier had upper abdominal surgery. The patients who had some pre-existing medical condition is also not appropriate for gallbladder surgery. A thorough examination of the patient is done in order to determine whether or not the procedure is right for you.
The Conditions that Causes Gallbladder Problems
- If a gallstone blocks the common bile duct then the condition of Jaundice may develop.
- It is not clear as to why some people form gallstones.
- The gallstones are responsible for causing gallbladder problems.
- The gallstones can obstruct the flow of bile out of the gallbladder. This causes swelling of the gallbladder that results in severe abdominal pain, indigestion and vomiting.
Gallbladder Removal Surgery
Cholecystectomy is the surgical procedure for removing the gallbladder. While performing traditional surgery, a long incision of about 5-8 inches is made in the abdomen for removing the gallbladder. The incision is made beneath the ribs on the right side and reaches below the waist. This procedure is termed as open Cholecystectomy.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is the newer procedure for removing the gallbladder. A high definition camera is used for viewing inside the body and the doctor views the patient’s gallbladder on a TV screen. The surgeon then does the surgery with surgical tools that are inserted in three tiny cuts in the right upper part of the abdomen. The surgeon then takes out the gallbladder by the means of one of the incisions.
Benefits of Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal Surgery
- The patients can go home within a day.
- A faster recovery period where the patients can get back to their normal activities.
- Patients have minimal post-operative pain.
- Instead of 5-7 inch large incision, the procedure requires 4 small openings in the abdomen.
- Patients also experience a quicker recovery than open gallbladder surgery patients.
Living Without a Gallbladder
The person can live a normal life without a gallbladder. Though the organ can be useful but it is not necessary. The liver of a person will still produce bile for digesting the food. By adopting simple lifestyle changes, a person can live a normal life. Some of the lifestyle changes include –
- Avoid eating a large quantity of food after fasting all day.
- Eat small and frequent meals.
- Adopt a low-fat diet regime.
- Avoid eating fried and high calorie food.
Cost of Gallbladder Surgery
The gallbladder surgery in India is both convenient and cost-effective. India is the only country in the world where a patient can avail the best treatment at 10-30% of the cost of the same procedure in US or any other developed country. The best trained surgeons are available in all the hospitals in India.