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Gallstone Symptoms After Gallbladder Removal

Identified as a small, pear-shaped sac, the gallbladder resides below the liver in the right upper abdomen. It stores bile until the small intestine needs it for the digestion of fats. Bile forms in the liver consisting of water, cholesterol, fats, bile salts, proteins, and bilirubin. When an overabundance of these waste products exists in the gallbladder, stones may form and get lodged in the ducts to the liver or small intestines.

  1. Symptoms

    • The onset of gallstones may strike the abdomen with a constant ache that does not subside. The pain sometimes hits in the back between the shoulder blades or right shoulder. With the ducts blocked from stones, the gallbladder becomes inflamed, and a fever and nausea may develop too. If serious enough and unable to be treated with medication, these symptoms may require the removal of the gallbladder.

    Treatment

    • A surgeon performs a cholecystectomy to remove a defective gallbladder. As long as post-surgery issues do not develop, a patient recovers at home the same day. The body can usually function well without a gallbladder, and all symptoms prior to surgery normally disappear.

    Identification

    • Various reasons exist for the reoccurrence of symptoms. A rare cause may be a false diagnosis resulting in the unnecessary removal of the gallbladder. Several health issues such as a heart attack, appendicitis, ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, hiatal hernia, pancreatitis, or hepatitis have received a diagnosis of gallbladder problems. However, another reason for their return arises from a health condition called Sphincter of Oddi Dysfunction (SOD), also known as post-cholecystectomy syndrome (PCS).

    Causes

    • Post-cholecystectomy occurs when stones remain in the ducts connected to the liver or small intestines or a problem with the ducts exist. Sometimes the removal of the gallbladder actually causes the development of PCS because of an abnormal flow of the bile from the liver to the intestines or a leak of bile into the body. According to MedFriendly.com "PCS can begin immediately after the surgery to remove the gallbladder or decades later."

    Prevention/Solution

    • PCS cannot be avoided 100 percent of the time, but a proper diagnosis of the gallbladder lowers the chances. A quick removal of the gallbladder when problems begin also aides in lowering its risk, but the possibility increases when the common bile duct is opened during surgery. To avoid serious health issues, see a physician immediately if gallbladder symptoms reappear.

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