Gallbladder Stone: Symptoms, Causes and Treatment

Often people don’t pay attention to their gallbladder until it starts giving them trouble. The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that is located beneath the liver. The job of the gallbladder is to store bile, a digestive fluid. Bile helps to break down fat and this fluid is released into your small intestine by the gallbladder. However, when there is too much cholesterol in the bile, excess cholesterol results in hard deposits that form the stones in the gallbladder. The size of the gallstones can vary dramatically. Some people may have tiny stones while others may have something as big as a golf ball. 

Symptoms

Gallstones can cause pain in the upper right abdomen. The pain doesn’t usually last more than a few hours. Here are some other symptoms to look out for: 

1. Pain in your right shoulder or back

2. Pain in right side of abdomen radiating to right shoulder

3. An upset stomach 

4. Nausea or vomiting

5. Digestive problems like indigestion, heartburn, and gas

Causes 

The exact cause of gallstones formation is not known yet. But they occur when the following things happen: 

1. Too much cholesterol in the bile: Your body needs bile to dissolve cholesterol. However, when it fails to do that, the excess cholesterol forms stones. 

2. Too much bilirubin in the bile: Bilirubin is a yellowish substance in the blood. It is secreted into liver cells. Medical disorders like liver cirrhosis can cause the liver to make too much bilirubin. This excess bilirubin contributes to gallstones.

3. The gallbladder doesn’t empty all the way: For some reason, if the gallbladder is not functioning well then it may not be able to empty the bile. This can cause the bile to concentrate and form gallstones.

Treatment 

The treatment for gallstones depends upon their size and the kind of problems they are causing.  Surgery is recommended when gallstones do not go away on their own and they start leading to more serious health complications like inflamed gallbladder, inflamed pancreas and inflamed bile ducts. Multiple small gall stones are more dangerous. It has to be operated or else it may go in pancreas and cause gallstone pancreatitis. Both open and laparoscopic surgeries can be done for removing gallstones. Tests like ultrasound and blood tests are done before surgery is recommended. 

Laparoscopic surgery for removing gallstones 

Laparoscopic surgery is a minimally invasive surgery in which small incisions are made using specialised tools to remove gallstones. Laparoscopic surgery is often preferred over open surgery. In comparison to open surgery, laparoscopic surgery involves a smaller incision, quicker recovery, shorter stay at the hospital and lower risk of post-surgical infection. 

What happens during laparoscopic surgery?

During the surgery, a small incision is made in or below your navel. The abdomen is filled with a gas to allow organs to be seen more clearly. The laparoscope is inserted and the surgeon performs guided surgery while watching the organs on a video monitor. This allows better precision over open surgery where a surgeon will make 5 to 7 inches cut on the abdomen. Open surgery is recommended only if the patient has severe gallbladder disease and is very overweight. 

Are you looking for a hospital in Siliguri that does laparoscopic surgery? 

We, at Neotia Getwel Healthcare Centre, Siliguri, have Advance Laparoscopy & General Surgery facilities. We carry a wide range of laparoscopic procedures. We ensure that the recovery time is fast, there is less pain and discomfort and the patient doesn’t have to stay at the hospital for too long. Even the scar after surgery is minimal.