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Useful Information Concerning Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery Houston Patients Need To Have

By Jeffrey Wilson


The gall bladder is an important organ in the process of digestion. It is connected to both the liver and the intestines (the duodenal region). It stores, concentrates and releases bile juice to the intestines to facilitate the breakdown of some food components. Occasionally, its function is impaired due to accumulation of gall stones which have to be removed surgically. There are a number of facts on laparoscopic gallbladder surgery Houston residents need to know.

Before a decision to be operated is made, you will need to visit your doctor for a comprehensive evaluation. This process will include the taking of a medical history on the condition as well as undergoing a physical examination. Symptoms that suggest the diagnosis of gall bladder stones include pain (especially in the right, upper abdominal region), nausea and vomiting.

The surgery itself is carried out under general anesthesia. Once you have been put under the anesthesia, the surgeon will make three small incisions in the anterior abdomen. These incisions serve as the ports of entry for the instrument (also referred to as a laparoscope). The components of the laparoscope include a camera and a manipulating device that can be used for cutting and suturing. Images from the surgical site are transmitted onto a monitor to guide the surgeon.

This operation is usually done under general anesthesia. The implication of this is that you will remain asleep as the procedure takes place. Once the anesthesia takes effect, the surgeon will create three small ports of entry on the abdominal wall to be used for placement of instruments. The most important instrument is what is known as a laparoscope. A camera mounted at the end projects images from the surgical field onto a monitor.

Risks associated with this operation are not only few but very rare as well. They include, for example, pain, diarrhea, bloating, internal bleeding, allergic reaction to anesthetic drugs, injury to structures such as the common bile duct and the intestines and infections (after the operation). In very rare circumstances, the liver and major blood vessels may also be injured or the bile may leak into the abdominal cavity.

Since very small surgical cuts are used here, the duration of hospital stay is markedly reduced. In most centers, patients are allowed home on the same day or after 24 hours at the latest. This is in contrast to the average three days of hospitalization that are required after the open procedure. Resumption of normal routine also takes a shorter period of time (7 to 10 days as compared to 4 to 6 weeks).

There are a number of conditions that are known to affect the bladder. Examples include gall stones, infections and tumors among others. Gall stones are the commonest of the three. The stones are made up of bile salts and cholesterol. The reason as to why they need to be removed is that they may block the flow of bile which in turn causes a condition known as obstructive jaundice.

Removing gall stones using laparoscopic techniques has completely replaced the traditional open surgical approach in many places in the world. This is mainly due to its short turnaround time and the fewer risks associated with it. Any individual with the problem of gall stones can benefit with very few exceptions.




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