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According to a recently released report, more than 25 million Americans suffer from gallbladder disease and each year around 1 million new cases are being diagnosed. Besides these worrying numbers there are certainly more individuals affected who are not aware of the problem, as gallbladder disease symptoms can be easily confused with the signs of other digestive problems. However once an attack occurred the problem becomes obvious as such attacks usually involve considerable pain. Luckily for those affected there are various treatment options available. Non invasive therapies can help prevent the condition from occurring or they can be efficient in dissolving gallbladder stones, while minimally invasive surgery is truly efficient for those who suffer from repeated attacks.

What causes gallbladder stone?

Gallbladder stones develop as the bile produced by the liver hardens while stored in the gallbladder. The disease has several causes some of the most common ones being:

• Obesity
• Raised cholesterol level
• Metabolic syndrome
• High blood pressure
• Diabetes
• Oral estrogen hormone therapy

The condition is more common among women and the risk increases with the number of pregnancies a woman had as well with the age of the patient.

Symptoms

Around 80% of the individuals who developed gallbladder stones notice no symptoms at all. Problems occur only when the stones block the neck of the gallbladder. The most common symptoms affected individuals might notice include:

• Pain under the rib cage on the right side
• Severe upper abdominal pain
• Indigestion
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Constipation
• Bloating or gas
• Diarrhea

Attacks often occur after overeating, after fatty meals or during the night and can last from couple of minutes to several hours.

Treatment options

There are various treatment options a doctor can recommend in case of gallbladder stone. There are medications that dissolve stones but they only work for a limited number and small size stones. Medications also require long term treatment which is not an option if the gallbladder is already scarred or the patient has frequent attacks.  Multidisciplinary treatments including lifestyle changes and medication are also an option not to mention that natural supplements and certain foods can help manage the problem as well.

However due to the frequency or severity of the attacks many patients prefer a minimally invasive low risk surgery. At the Christiana Institute of Advanced Surgery we perform laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery frequently. During the procedure several tiny incisions are performed into the abdomen, a video camera and surgical instruments are inserted and the gallbladder is removed. Although general anesthesia is required, the procedure takes less than 2 hours. Complication risks are reduced, recovery is faster than with traditional surgery and the patient’s digestive system is not affected.