Investigations: Journal Post 12

The most recent weeks, we have been discussing the digestive system in class and mentioned the gallbladder and how it can be removed from the body without leading to major complications. I wanted to take this blog to go more into depth about complications that occur with the gallbladder and why it may need to be removed.

In SAGES article "Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) Patient Information from SAGES", an in-depth discussion about gallbladder disease and removal are given. The gallbladder functions in the digestive system by collecting bile which is then used for digestion. The bile travels from the liver to the gallbladder to the small intestines. In some people, gallstones form and when they do, they can lead to some major issues. Gallstones are typically small formations and can be passed through the gallbladder. In some cases, the stones may form very large and can cause a blockage, preventing bile from getting through to the small intestines. The blockage can lead to swelling, which may lead to rupture. Common symptoms are abdominal pain, vomiting, and fever.

A journal known as Gut and Liver, spoke about what some causes of gallbladder disease are. According to Gut and Liver, gallstones can be diagnosed best through the process of ultrasonography. It also mentions that often times, major risk factors are those that cannot be modified. High cholesterol gallstone formations can depend on genetics as well as age, gender, family history, and ethnic background. Overall, the direction that society is headed in regards to health seems to be causing an increase in gallstone cases.

The most effective way to resolve gallstones seems to be surgery. Gallstones can not be treated themselves, although making dietary changes may help. Overall, removal of the gallbladder may be necessary depending on the severity of the case.


Sources:

Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. (2015). Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy) Patient Information from SAGES. Retrieved 12 5, 2015, from SAGES: http://www.sages.org/publications/patient-information/patient-information-for-laparoscopic-gallbladder-removal-cholecystectomy-from-sages/

About this Article: This article was an online publishing by an organization that specialized in gastrointestinal medicine. The article seemed a bit biased as it was trying to push for a particular removal of the gallbladder, cholecystectomy. Overall, the article was very informative and seemed to have come from a credible source.

Stinton, L. M., & Shaffer, E. A. (2012). Epidemiology ofGallbladder Disease: Cholelithiasis and Cancer. Gut and Liver , 6(2), 172.

About this Article: This article focused mostly on the diagnosis and causes for gallbladder disease. It did not seem bias or to push for any specific point as it seemed to have hit all points of risk and did not focus on one specifically.