Gall Bladder Inflammation is called cholecystitis. It can be acute (short-term) or chronic (long-term). Gall bladder inflammation can impair its functioning or may eventually damage the gallbladder.
Gallstones are small and hardened deposits in the gallbladder that go undetected for years as they generally do not cause any symptoms. They get diagnosed when they cause problems like pain, gall bladder inflammation or infection.
Common symptoms of Gall Bladder Disorders
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Severe, dull, sharp, or crampy abdominal pain or tenderness that gets worse after eating a fatty or greasy foods
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Pain that radiates to the right shoulder or to the back
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Pain that worsens after eating a meal, particularly fatty or greasy foods or breathing deeply
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Pain that feels dull, sharp, or crampy
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Heartburn, indigestion, and excessive gas
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Vomiting & nausea
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Fever with chills
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Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)
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Clay coloured stool
Diagnosis of Gallbladder Disorders
Diagnosis of gall bladder disorders involves a physical examination of the patient followed by certain diagnostic tests like
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Ultrasound
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Abdominal CT Scan
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Gallbladder Radionuclide Scan
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ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography)
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MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography)
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HIDA /PIPIDA Scan
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Blood Tests
Laparoscopic management of Gall Bladder Disorders
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is the gold standard of treatment nowadays for removing the diseased gall bladder.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is performed under general anaesthesia by giving several small incisions in the abdomen. A laparoscope is inserted through one of the incisions that is attached to the camera through which internal images can be seen on the monitor. After thorough inspection of gall bladder and other internal organs, various other instruments are inserted through other incisions. The diseases gall bladder is retracted and dissected from its place.
Usually laparoscopic Cholecystectomy requires four incisions but the new technology has enabled this surgery by single incision. It is called Single Port Laparoscopy (SPL) or SILS (Single Incision Laparoscopic Surgery). Unlike a traditional multi-port laparoscopic approach, SILS is a minimally invasive laparoscopic procedure that is performed almost exclusively through a single entry point, typically the patient’s navel.
Advantages of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy over Open Surgery
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Faster recovery
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Only few hours or overnight hospitalization
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Sooner return to work
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Very less pain during and after the procedure
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Smaller incisions without any cut on abdominal muscles
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Less chances of wound infection
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High success rate with more than ninety-percent of symptom free patients after ten years of the procedure
