Gallbladder Surgeon & Specialist in Pune

Gallbladder diseases

Gallbladder diseases encompass a range of conditions that affect the gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped organ located under the liver. The gallbladder stores and concentrates bile, a digestive fluid produced by the liver that helps break down fats in the small intestine. Gallbladder diseases can range from mild inflammation to severe, life-threatening conditions.

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Types of Gallbladder Diseases

Cholelithiasis (Gallstones)

  • Description: Gallstones are solid particles that form from bile cholesterol and bilirubin in the gallbladder. They can vary in size from tiny grains to large stones.
  • Types:
    • Cholesterol Gallstones: Made primarily of hardened cholesterol. The most common type, often associated with obesity, high-fat diets, and certain medications.
    • Pigment Gallstones: Made from excess bilirubin. Often linked to liver cirrhosis, biliary tract infections, or blood disorders like sickle cell anemia.
  • Symptoms: Many people with gallstones are asymptomatic. When symptoms occur, they may include:
    • Sudden, intense pain in the upper right abdomen or center of the abdomen
    • Pain between the shoulder blades or in the right shoulder
    • Nausea or vomiting

Cholecystitis (Inflammation of the Gallbladder)

  • Description: Inflammation of the gallbladder, often due to a gallstone blocking the cystic duct.
  • Types:
    • Acute Cholecystitis: Sudden inflammation often due to a gallstone obstruction, leading to bile build-up, irritation, and pressure.
    • Chronic Cholecystitis: Recurrent episodes of inflammation and gallstones leading to a thickened, shrunken, and scarred gallbladder.
  • Symptoms:
    • Severe, steady pain in the upper right abdomen
    • Fever, chills
    • Nausea, vomiting
    • Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Choledocholithiasis

  • Description: Gallstones that pass from the gallbladder into the bile ducts (common bile duct stones), potentially causing a blockage.
  • Symptoms:
    • Abdominal pain
    • Jaundice
    • Fever with chills (if infection develops, called ascending cholangitis)

Cholangitis

  • Description: Inflammation of the bile ducts, often due to bacterial infection resulting from bile duct obstruction (e.g., gallstones, tumors, or strictures).
  • Symptoms:
    • Charcot’s triad: right upper quadrant pain, fever, and jaundice
    • Hypotension and confusion (Reynolds pentad, when severe)

Gallbladder Polyps

  • Description: Small, benign growths on the gallbladder lining. Most are non-cancerous, but larger polyps (greater than 1 cm) may have a risk of becoming cancerous.
  • Symptoms: Often asymptomatic; larger polyps may cause pain similar to gallstones.

Gallbladder Cancer

  • Description: A rare form of cancer that originates in the gallbladder. Risk factors include gallstones, porcelain gallbladder (calcification of the gallbladder wall), and chronic gallbladder inflammation.
  • Symptoms:
    • Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right quadrant
    • Jaundice
    • Weight loss
    • Nausea and vomiting

Causes and Risk Factors

  • Diet and Lifestyle: High-fat diets, obesity, rapid weight loss, and fasting can increase the risk of gallstone formation.
  • Genetic Factors: Family history of gallstones or gallbladder disease.
  • Gender and Age: Gallbladder diseases are more common in women, especially those over 40 years old, due to hormonal factors such as estrogen.
  • Medical Conditions: Diabetes, liver disease, hemolytic anemia, and certain gastrointestinal conditions like Crohn’s disease.

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of gallbladder diseases usually involves a combination of the following:

  • Physical Examination: Checking for tenderness in the abdomen, especially in the right upper quadrant.
  • Blood Tests: To check for signs of infection, jaundice, or pancreatitis.
  • Imaging Studies:
    • Ultrasound: The most common initial imaging test to detect gallstones and gallbladder inflammation.
    • CT Scan: Provides more detailed images of the gallbladder and surrounding structures.
    • HIDA Scan (Hepatobiliary Iminodiacetic Acid Scan): Assesses gallbladder function and detects blockages.
    • MRI/MRCP (Magnetic Resonance Cholangiopancreatography): Used to visualize the bile ducts and detect stones in the bile duct.
  • Endoscopic Procedures:
    • ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography): Combines endoscopy and X-ray to diagnose and treat bile duct problems, including removing stones.

Treatment Options

Lifestyle and Dietary Changes

  • Low-fat diet to reduce gallbladder stimulation and decrease the risk of gallstone formation.
  • Weight loss and regular exercise.

Medications

  • Ursodeoxycholic Acid: Used to dissolve small cholesterol gallstones and reduce gallstone formation, especially in patients who cannot undergo surgery.

Surgical Treatments

  • Cholecystectomy: The surgical removal of the gallbladder.
    • Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Minimally invasive surgery with a quicker recovery time. The most common surgical procedure for gallbladder removal.
    • Open Cholecystectomy: Involves a larger incision and longer recovery, used when complications arise or if laparoscopic surgery isn’t feasible.
  • ERCP: To remove stones from the bile duct, especially in cases of choledocholithiasis or cholangitis.

Non-surgical Treatments

  • Shock Wave Lithotripsy: Uses shock waves to break up gallstones in certain cases, though it’s not commonly used for gallstones.

Prevention

  • Healthy Diet: Low in saturated fats and high in fiber.
  • Regular Exercise: Helps maintain a healthy weight.
  • Avoid Rapid Weight Loss: Losing weight too quickly can increase the risk of gallstones.

Looking for a gallbladder surgeon near you? Consult Dr. Suhasini Jadhav. As a Gallbladder Specialist in Pune and a famous Gastroenterologist in Pune.

Areas We Serve: Kharadi, Viman Nagar, Koregaon Park, Dhanori, Mundhwa, Hadapsar, Lohegaon, Kalyani Nagar, Wagholi, Yerawada, Chandan Nagar, Magarpatta, Wadgaon Sheri, Ubale Nagar, Keshav Nagar, Manjri, Sainikwadi.