Gallbladder surgery : Specialists

What is gallbladder surgery?

The gallbladder is a small organ which sits beneath the liver and stores bile produced by the liver. It retains this until needed for digestion.

When foods containing fat enter the digestive tract this bile breaks down these fats and neutralises their effects on the body. Bile contained within the gallbladder is more powerful than when it left the liver which intensifies its effect on fatty food.

Gallbladder surgery treats a wide range of problems with this organ. The gallbladder can be removed without any ill-effect to the patient.

These conditions include:

• Gallstones
• Obstructive jaundice
• Gallstone pancreatitis
• Cholestasis(blockage in the bile supply chain)
• Acute inflammation of the gall bladder

What is a gallbladder surgeon?

A highly trained professional who diagnoses and treats a whole range of disorders related to the gallbladder.

What does a gallbladder surgeon do?

They treat the following gallbladder complaints:

• Cancer of the gallbladder
• Gallstone ileus: bowel blockage caused by a large gallstone
• Choledocholithiasis: blockage of the common bile duct by gallstones
• Biliary colic: obstruction of the common bile duct or the duct leading to it from the gallbladder
• Cholestasis
• Gallstones

He or she treats both benign and malignant disorders of the gallbladder.