Gallbladder

What is the gallbladder?

Your gallbladder is a small, hard boiled egg-shaped organ found under your liver. Its primary job is to store bile, which is a fat emulsifier that helps you digest fat in the food you eat. While bile is essential for digestion of food, you don’t need your gallbladder to live a healthy and full life. Its only function is for storage, and your body easily adapts to life without a gallbladder.

What are conditions that affect the gallbladder?

Many conditions that affect the health of the gallbladder and may cause various symptoms. Common gallbladder conditions include:

Gallstones

Also known as cholelithiasis, gallstones refers to the crystallization of the bile salts in your gallbladder. If you have gallstones, you may experience abdominal pain or nausea when the stone moves near the neck of the gallbladder.

Cholecystitis

Cholecystitis refers to an infection in your gallbladder. You may develop cholecystitis if you have gallstones that get impacted in the cystic duct.

Gallstone pancreatitis

Your pancreas is an organ located near your gallbladder and liver that produces hormones and enzymes that help digest food. If a gallstone passes by the duct that helps drain your pancreas, you may develop pancreatitis. Pancreatitis refers to inflammation of your pancreas and may cause severe abdominal pain and affect digestion.

Although rare, you can also develop gallbladder cancer.

How do I know if I have a gallbladder condition?

Your specialist at Progressive Surgical Care conducts a comprehensive evaluation to determine the underlying cause of your symptoms. Your evaluation may include a physical exam, as well as a review of your medical and surgical history. Your specialist may also recommend diagnostic imaging to further evaluate your abdominal area and gallbladder to look for signs of disease.  The best test for the gallbladder is a sonogram otherwise known as an ultrasound.

What are the treatment options for my gallbladder condition?

Treatment for your gallbladder condition may depend on the type of condition you have and your symptoms. Because your gallbladder isn’t an essential organ, your specialist at Progressive Surgical Care may recommend laparoscopic removal. In most cases, surgical removal of your gallbladder is done laparoscopically, which means keyhole incisions, less pain, and a faster recovery.

If you have gallstones and you’re not a good candidate for surgery, your specialist may prescribe medication to help dissolve the stones and reduce your discomfort.

For management of your gallbladder condition from surgical experts, call Progressive Surgical Care today or book an appointment online.