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Gallstones In A Nutshell
The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped sac that can be found under your liver. Your liver produces bile, which is then stored in the gallbladder. The gallbladder’s function is to excrete bile into the small intestine to help digest fats, allowing easier absorption of fat-soluble vitamins and nutrients into the bloodstream.
“The main function of the gallbladder is to store bile, which is a fluid made by your liver to break down fats that you eat. After a meal, bile is secreted by the gallbladder when the small intestine secretes the hormone cholecystokinin. The bile flows into the small intestine and helps to digest fats that the foods contain. The gallbladder also acts as a reservoir for the bile that is not being used by the body.”
– Dr Ganesh Ramalingam
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One of the primary causes of gallbladder diseases is inflammation due to irritation of the gallbladder walls. This is because gallstones block the ducts that lead to the small intestine, causing bile to accumulate and resulting in inflammation.
As a result of gallbladder disease, you might experience the following symptoms:
If you think that these symptoms look similar to other gastric diseases or typical stomach discomfort, you may be right.
“Most patients who experience pain in their abdomen may not be able to identify the conditions of gallbladder disease immediately. As a result, it is important to look for signs of gallbladder disease or inflammation as they may eventually damage the gallbladder, making it lose its ability to function correctly.”
– Dr Ganesh Ramalingam
Most people can go about their lives without even realising they have a gallbladder disease, which in this case, was one relating to gallstones. In 2015, a 70-year-old man removed a gallstone the size of a melon. The condition went unnoticed for decades before it finally detected and removed. By the time of removal, it weighed 1.2kg and was 14cm wide, making it one of the largest gallstones to be removed from a person.
Gallstones are small solid pieces of material usually made of cholesterol, which form in the gallbladder. In many cases, they do not cause symptoms and do not require immediate removal.
However, if the gallstones are trapped in the bile duct of the gallbladder, you will suddenly feel intense pain and need to be treated immediately.
When cholesterol levels in the blood are too high, this excess cholesterol hardens and turns into stone. This is how the stones develop in 80% of gallstone cases. In the remaining 20% of gallstone cases, gallstones result from the hardening of unusually high levels of a waste product called bilirubin in the gallbladder.
Most people with gallstones may not even experience symptoms or know they have it unless the doctor diagnoses them. But if you do, symptoms of gallstones include:
Dr Ganesh says, “Gallstones themselves don’t cause pain, but the pain which most patients experience occurs when the gallstones block the movement of bile from the gallbladder.”
When that happens, gallstones can lead to pain in the upper right abdomen. Patients may start to have gallbladder pain from time to time when consuming foods that are high in fat, such as fried foods. The pain does not usually last more than a few hours.
To diagnose the presence of gallstones, our doctor will assess you in a physical examination. You may be scheduled to undergo diagnostic imaging tests such as blood tests, ultrasound scan, CT scan, cholangiography, and MRI scan to check for abnormalities in your gallbladder.
Blood tests can test for infection or other conditions such as pancreatitis and jaundice, which is caused by gallstones. An ultrasound scan or CT scan provides images of your gallbladder. The doctor analyses the images for signs of gallstones.
Cholangiography is performed by using a dye that shows up on X-rays. The dye may be injected using an endoscope through your mouth, or into your blood. Alternatively, it may be injected directly into your bile ducts during surgery. After this, X-ray images are taken. If your gallbladder and bile systems are functioning normally, the dye will be absorbed in specific places.
Otherwise, the images will reveal abnormalities in your bile or pancreatic systems. If a blockage has been detected, an endoscopic retrograde cholangial-pancreatography (ERCP) will be carried out. During this procedure, our doctor removes the blockage using an endoscope.
MRI scan is carried out to check for gallstones in the bile ducts. This scan uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the organs in the body.
Dr Ganesh says, “The risk of an individual developing gallstones is mainly related to their diet and lifestyle. For many, they tend to lean towards a high fat and high cholesterol diet, which may lead to other gallbladder diseases as well.”
You may be at risk if you:
Other factors that increase your risk of developing gallstones are:
While gallstones are usually developed later in age, a rare occurrence took place when an otherwise healthy three years and ten-month-old boy was presented to the hospital’s emergency department after multiple visits to other facilities complaining of abdominal pain.
The pain was described as being cramp-like, and the child’s mother endorsed his aversion to fatty foods and carbonated beverages. Abdominal ultrasound revealed the child had calcified gallstone that developed in the neck of the gallbladder.
While being rare in adults, cholelithiasis (the condition for the presence of one or more gallstones in the gallbladder) must always be on the differential diagnosis with a childhood complaint of postprandial abdominal pain.
Cholecystectomy, the surgical removal of the gallbladder, is the appropriate treatment for symptomatic cholelithiasis. This is especially so in children. A cholecystectomy can safely be performed in the outpatient setting, and the emerging technique of single-incision laparoscopy is likely to play an increasingly important role in its management in carefully selected patients.
Most of the time, patients with gallstones will not need treatment unless it is causing them pain. Depending on the severity of the condition and presence of gallstones within the gallbladder, dietary changes may be the first step to preventing complications.
In severe cases where patients experience extreme pain, our doctor will likely recommend surgery.
To improve your condition and reduce your risk of gallstones, changing your diet may help. You may consider:
If you are planning to lose weight, aim to do it slowly. Aim to lose no more than one kilogram per week as rapid weight loss may increase the risk of gallstones and other health problems.
For patients with asymptomatic gallstones, lifestyle changes can help prevent complications.
Consider making changes in the following:
For symptomatic gallstones where patients experience pain, surgery may be recommended.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is a common surgery used to treat gallstones. This surgery is recommended if you have pain or other symptoms from gallstones, or your gallbladder is not functioning normally. The stones may block the bile ducts which provide a passageway for bile to flow from the gallbladder or liver to the small intestine.
This condition, known as choledocholithiasis, can cause severe pain, jaundice and infection. It requires immediate medical attention. Gallstones may also block the pancreatic duct, which is a tube between the pancreas and the common bile duct.
This may cause pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas. It is a severe condition that causes intense and constant abdominal pain.
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy is done under general anaesthesia. With three or four small incisions, your surgeon will be able to remove your gallbladder, allowing you to be discharged in a day or two after the procedure.
Do note that you may experience loose or watery stools after gallbladder removal. Since removing a gallbladder involves rerouting the bile from the liver to the small intestine, bile no longer passes through the gallbladder, and it becomes less concentrated. This can result in a laxative effect that causes diarrhoea. Eat a reduced-fat diet so that you release less bile as a means of treating this.
If surgery is needed to remove your gallbladder or any stones in your gallbladder, the outlook is often positive. In most cases of stone removal, the gallstones do not recur.
With that said, you do not require treatment if your gallstones do not cause symptoms. You may, however, want to make lifestyle changes to prevent them from getting bigger and causing problems.
Sara Meinschein is a busy 21-year-old. While balancing her hectic lifestyle as a student while working as a nurse, Sara started to feel nauseous and experience abdominal pain, but would brush it off as mild indigestion.
For four months, Sara suffered from pain and had several instances of gallbladder attacks. This occurs when a gallstone gets stuck in the bile duct of the gallbladder.
Further investigation revealed Sara had sludge and gallstones in her gallbladder. Ultimately, Sara decided to have her gallbladder removed, and within a week of recovery, Sara’s appetite returned just in time for Thanksgiving.
“I didn’t realise how much pain I was in with the attacks,” Sara says. “I feel so much better now.”
“You can lead a perfectly normal life without a gallbladder. Your liver will still make enough bile to digest your food. However, instead of being stored in the gallbladder, it drips continuously into your digestive system.”
– Dr Ganesh Ramalingam
With that said, there may be some lifestyle changes required to improve your quality of life while helping you ease digestive symptoms such as:
Robotic surgery for gallstone removal is a procedure that may be considered after non-surgical options have been exhausted. The surgery utilises robotic technology to access the body through several incisions. By keeping the incisions small, this method reduces the risk of complications, ensures minimal scarring and shortens recovery time.
The use of robotic instruments also means that a large majority of cases can be performed laparoscopically rather than through open surgery.
Dr Ganesh at G & L Surgical Clinic strives to prioritise his patients’ recovery and comfort. Having had adequate experience in performing gallstones removal surgeries for numerous patients for many years in Singapore.
Furthermore, the staff at G & L Surgical Clinic have been thoroughly and adequately trained to make your experience a comfortable and hassle-free one. Whether you intend to undergo our gallstones treatments, procedures or other medical services in Singapore, you can rest assured that you will be properly and sufficiently cared for by trained professionals.
Organise a consultation with our surgeons for further assistance on gallstones treatments in Singapore.
How Do You Treat Gallstones Without Surgery?
Treatment for gallstones typically involves surgical removal of the gallbladder. However, some people may be able to treat their gallstones without surgery. Conservative treatment options include changes in diet and lifestyle and medications to dissolve gallstones.
In some cases, gallstones may not cause any symptoms and may not require treatment. However, it is important to speak with a doctor if gallstones are suspected so that proper diagnosis and treatment can be carried out.
What Happens If Gallstones Are Left Untreated?
Leaving gallstones untreated can possibly lead to the gallstone getting stuck in a bile duct. This could lead to more serious complications like bile duct inflammation, infection, and pancreatitis. Untreated gallstones also carry a higher risk of gallbladder cancer.
What Should I Avoid Eating With Gallstones?
If you have gallstones, there are some types of food you should avoid eating. Fatty foods, such as fried chicken or fish, greasy burgers, full-fat dairy products, and fatty cuts of meat can make gallstone symptoms worse. Highly processed foods, such as white bread and pastries, are also thought to trigger gallstone pain. Gallstone attacks often happen after a meal, so it’s important to avoid trigger foods if you’re prone to this condition.
Can Gallstones Cause Weight Gain?
Gallstones are not likely to cause weight gain but there is a connection between obesity and gallbladder diseases. Patients that have a larger body weight have a higher risk of developing gallstones.
Do Gallstones Cause Acid Reflux?
While there is no relationship between the two, gallstones may have similar symptoms to acid reflux.
G&L Surgical Clinic will do our best to provide you with an estimate of your out-of-pocket expenses before your procedure. With a comprehensive financing service, we endeavour to assist you in finding the most suitable financing option to enjoy a seamless and pleasant experience. Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions. We are here to help you get the care you need.
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