The gallbladder is an organ that lies under the liver and stores bile, which is a fluid that digests fats. During digestion of food, the gallbladder releases this fluid through a duct called the common bile duct. This duct connects the liver to the small intestine.
Generally, when a problem occurs with the gallbladder what happens is that there is a blockage of the bile flow. Sometimes it can be difficult for the patient to detect that there is a pathology, since the symptoms usually manifest themselves as digestive problems.
The most common signs are usually heavy digestions with subcostal discomfort on the right side. In addition, they can appear during meals, after meals or even when we spend many hours fasting, since both situations stimulate the secretion of the gallbladder.
There are no specific people more prone to suffer this type of pathology, but the anatomy of each person, the type of diet and certain diseases can influence the generation of a denser bile and, therefore, in the production of gallstones in the gallbladder.
When is surgery necessary?
This type of intervention is indicated when there are gallstones in the gallbladder that generate symptoms of abdominal pain. It may also be recommended in cases of patients with growing gallbladder polyps or with a size equal to or larger than 10 mm, since they have a malignant potential.
Another of the conditions for which the need for surgery may be indicated is gallbladder cancer at an early stage.
What does gallbladder surgery consist of?
Gallbladder surgery is performed using minimally invasive techniques and consists of the complete removal of the gallbladder. However, since it is performed with small incisions, it presents excellent aesthetic results. In addition, the surgical specialist uses very small cameras that allow incisions of less than 1 cm to be made.
As far as post-operative care is concerned, there is a relatively quick return to normality, since it is a minimally invasive technique. In addition, the liver takes the place of the gallbladder, which is not an essential organ, so no food restriction is necessary after surgery.
In conclusion, after surgery, the patient’s quality of life improves significantly, since the symptoms of abdominal pain and poor digestion disappear.