Are you experiencing intense pain in the abdomen area, which is giving you a hard time sitting still in a comfortable position?

Are you running high temperatures with chills?

Does it hurt in abdomen post eating?

If you are suffering from all the above, then it is high time to consult a doctor to seek treatment.

Experiencing pain associated with the presence of gallstones is very uncomfortable.

It is interesting to note that 80% of gallstones are cholesterol. The remaining 20% ​​of gallstones are made from calcium salts and bilirubin. It is not known exactly what causes the formation of gallstones.

In this blog, Dr Venu Gopal Pareek provides information about what gallstones are, treatment options for gallstones, and how the surgery is differentiated from medical treatment.

What are GallStones

Gallstones - Surgical Treatment vs Medical Treatment

Deposits of hardened digestive fluid that can form in the gallbladder are known as gallstones. Gall bladder is located on the right side of the abdomen, just below the liver, it is a small pear-shaped organ. The gallbladder has a digestive fluid called bile, which is released into the small intestine.

Gallstones may vary in size, from the size of a grain to a cricket ball. Some people only develop one stone in the bile, while others develop many stones in the bile simultaneously.

People who have symptoms such as abdominal pain that makes them unable to sit or find a comfortable position, change of skin and white of your eyes into yellow colour, and unbearable pain post meals . You may consult Dr Venu Gopal Pareek if you have the said signs or symptoms that bother you. Gallstones, which does not cause any signs or symptoms, usually do not need any treatment, which is usually

Gallstones - Surgical Treatment vs Medical Treatmentdischarged through urine.

The exact cause of gallstones is not clear. However, doctors think that gallstones may result when bile contains too much cholesterol, too much bilirubin, and calcium and if the gallbladder doesn’t empty.

Diagnosis

Gallstones - Surgical Treatment vs Medical Treatment

Diagnose of gallstones include:

  • Abdominal ultrasound
  • Computerized tomography (CT scan)
  • Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid (HIDA) scan
  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
  • Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
  • Doctor advice for blood tests to reveal infection, jaundice, pancreatitis, or other complications caused by gallstones.

How Do Doctors Treat Gallstones?

If gallstones do not cause symptoms, you may not require treatment. However, if you have a gallbladder problem or other symptoms, consult a doctor. Although the symptoms may disappear, they can recur, and you may need to be treated.

The usual treatment for treating gallstones is surgery. Doctors, sometimes, use non-surgical methods to treat cholesterol stones, but pigment stones usually require surgery.

When Can Doctor Suggest Surgery?

Gallstones removal surgery is called cholecystectomy, which involves surgical removal of the gallbladder, and is one of the most common surgeries performed to eliminate gallstones. We can survive without the gallbladder as the liver can produce enough bile to aid in the digestion of food. Instead of storing bile in the gallbladder, the liver drips into the stomach to help with food digestion.

Usually, the doctor will give you general anaesthesia for surgery. After the surgeon removes the gallbladder, bile flows out of the liver passes through the hepatic duct and bile duct directly to the duodenum instead of being stored in the gallbladder.

The surgeon may choose either of the two available modes of performing cholecystectomy:

Gallstones - Surgical Treatment vs Medical Treatmentdischarged through urine.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Almost all surgeons perform laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Surgeons do a lot of outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy procedure, which means you might be able to go home the same day. You may be able to return to normal physical activity after about one week.

Open cholecystectomy: The surgeon performs an open cholecystectomy if the gallbladder is inflamed, infected. The doctor can undergo cholecystectomy if the problem occurs during laparoscopic cholecystectomy. It would be best if you stay in the hospital for up to one week after surgery. You may be able to return to regular physical activity after about a month.

Non-surgical treatment For Gallstones:

Doctors use non-surgical treatments for gallstones only in special situations; for example, if you have cholesterol stones and you have a severe illness that prevents surgery. Gallstones can also be returned with treatment. Therefore, you may need to be treated regularly for a very long time or even a lifetime for gallstones.

Doctors can use the following non-surgical treatments to eliminate or destroy cholesterol gallstones:

  • Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): Sometimes doctors use ERCP to remove gallstones that are stuck in the bile duct.
  • Oral dissolution therapy: This is the medicines that contain bile acids that can break down gallstones.These medicines work best to break down small cholesterol stones. You may need months or years of care to destroy all the stones.
  • Shock wave lithotripsy: Doctors can use lithotripsy for shock waves to blow gallstones into small pieces. Doctors rarely use this procedure and sometimes with medication.

Surgery Vs. Medical Treatment for Gallstones:

  • The surgical procedure involves the removal of the gallbladder from the abdomen, thereby eliminating future occurrences of gallstones. Medical treatment involving non-surgical methods is also effective in treating gallstones, but the symptoms may recur.
  • With medications, you may need to be treated regularly for a very long time, sometimes for a lifetime for gallstones, whereas surgery is a one-time treatment option.
  • Prolong usage of medications can cause side effects, but with surgery, there are relatively fewer side effects.
  • Using lithotripsy, only small-sized gallstones are dissolved, whereas, with surgery, even large gallstones can be removed.
  • With the oral dissolution of gallstones by oral bile acid therapy, you have to wait for months or years to get rid of gallstones, but surgery results in the immediate result.
  • Medication treatments treat cholesterol stones, but pigment stones usually warrant surgery.

Conclusion:

Gallstone is a common condition where stones are formed in the gallbladder and interfering with the urination process associated with extreme churning pain in the abdomen, lower back and shoulder blade area.

Treatment options available for treating gallstones involves both surgical and medical treatment (non-surgical), the choice would be made by the treating physician depending on the size of the stone/stones and their composition and the extent of infection caused by gallstones.

If you are suffering from gallbladder stone/stones and do prefer surgical intervention over medical treatment options for an effective result. , please contact Dr Venu Gopal Pareek for a consultation. You can reach us at 091777 77715

About the Doctor:

Dr Venugopal Pareek – Bariatric Surgeon

Gallstones - Surgical Treatment vs Medical Treatmentdischarged through urine.

Dr Venugopal Pareek – Bariatric Surgeon Dr Venugopal Pareek is one of the best Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgeon in the city has done more than 9000 surgeries in 12 years. Dr Pareek has expertise in Bariatric Surgery. He has attended several conferences and published articles on medicine as well in various national and international journals.

Write a comment:

*

Your email address will not be published.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

For emergency cases        +91- 91-777-77715

Disclaimer: Reading the information on this Bariatric Surgeon India website is not a substitute for any medical or bariatric surgery hospital consultation with a Bariatric or Laparoscopic Surgical specialist. The information should not be relied upon as a medical consultation. This information is not designed to replace a physician’s independent judgment about the appropriateness or risks of a procedure for a given patient. We will do our best to provide you with information that will help you make your own health care decisions. Regards Dr Venu Gopal Pareek, Best Bariatric Surgeon in Hyderabad