GALL BLADDER
Gall Bladder is a small organ where bile is stored, before it is released to small intestine. Humans can live without a gall bladder. It is a hollow organ that sits just beneath the right lobe of the Liver. In adults, the gallbladder measures approximately 7 to 10 cm in length and 4 cm in diameter when fully distended.
Gall Bladder is a pear-shaped reservoir of bile situated in a fossa on the inferior surface of the right lobe of the Liver. The fossa for the gall bladder extends from the right end of the porta hepatis to the inferior border of the Liver.
Functions of Gall Bladder: –
- Storage of bile – It is a digestive liquid continually secreted by the Liver. It is released when food containing fat enters the digestive tract.
- Concentration of bile (Absorption of water and Secretion of mucus).
- Release of bile (Contraction of gall bladder and relaxation of the sphincter of Oddi).
Gallstone disease has increasingly become a major cause of abdominal pain and discomfort mainly in North India. Its occurrence has been found to be high in the adult population in North India, which is interestingly seven times more frequent than in South India.
There is a definite shift in the trend of gallstone disease from middle aged, fertile, over weight females to young females. Gallstones are much more common in the female population as compared to males. The age group most affected is 45–60 years among females, and above 60 years in males.
Symptoms of GBD:
- Pain in the mid- or upper-right section of the abdomen.
- Nausea or
- Fever or Infection.
- Bloating
- Jaundice
When an individual is suffering from the above listed symptoms, he or she should immediately consult a doctor and get whole abdomen ultrasound examination, carried out in a fasting state to prevent further discomfort.
Gall stones are formed mainly when your bile contains too much cholesterol. But if your liver excretes more cholesterol than your bile can dissolve, the excess cholesterol may form into crystals and eventually into stones. It’s not known exactly what causes gallstones to form.
The factors to cause the formation of gallstones are inadequate physical activity, high waist hip ratio and excessive intake of saturated fats. High total fat intake of the polyunsaturated kind, especially of animal origin in diet, may lead to loss of bile acids in stools, decreasing the bile acid make it more prone to form stones in the gallbladder. Low fiber intake and high refined sugars were similarly associated with the formation of gallstones. Those who take a higher proportion of vegetable proteins have a lower incidence of gallstones.
WHAT TO EAT BEFORE GBD SURGERY?
The purpose to follow the diet before the surgery is to reduce the size of the liver which make your operation safer.
- Avoid fatty & fried foods
- Avoid meat in your diet
- Hight fiber diet includes fruits & vegetables
- No alcohol intake
Know all about your questions regarding Gall Bladder Surgery from renowned surgeon Dr Sudhir Kalhan
WHAT TO EAT AFTER GBD SURGERY?
- Fiber-rich foods like beans and broccoli
- Healthy fats like almonds and other nuts
- Eat PROTEIN FIRST to maintain the body weight.
- Avoid high-fat foods and fried foods
- Avoid eating outside food for at least a week after surgery.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN IF GALLSTONES ARE LEFT UNTREATED?
If left untreated, gallstones can also lead to more serious problems, like:
- Cholecystitis — an inflamed gallbladder
- Pancreatitis — an inflamed pancreas
- Cholangitis — inflamed bile ducts
- Gall Bladder Cancer
Other complications:
- Jaundice
- Dyspepsia
- Abdominal pain
- Fever and Infection
Evidence suggests early treatment of gall bladder is desirable and ultimately beneficial for all the patients.