Inflamed Pancrease & Gall Stones Procedures

Gallstones may occur when the bile in your gallbladder forms solid particles. These stones often occur when there are high levels of bilirubin or cholesterol in the bile. The enzymes from your gallstones may begin to attack the pancreas and surrounding tissues which may cause your pancreas to become inflamed. This inflammation is known a pancreatitis.

Symptoms

• Gall stones or an inflamed pancreas can be painful. The pain is typically located in the upper middle abdomen and may become worse when lying down. These symptoms may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting.

Procedures for Gallstones

• There are several ways to treat gallstones to prevent pancreatitis. Extracorporeal shockwave lithotripsy (ESWL) is one form of treatment that uses shock waves to break up the gallstone. When the stones are in smaller pieces it allows them to pass through the biliary system. Medication can also be used as a form of treatment to dissolve the gallstones. This treatment will take longer to see results and the gallstone may form again.

  Surgery is usually the best procedure if the patient has not developed pancreatitis. This procedure can be performed immediately and will aid in the prevention or further inflammation of the pancreas. If the pancreas is inflamed the patient will receive antibiotics through an IV for several day before performing surgery. This surgery is called a cholecystectomy which allows bile to flow from the liver directly into the small intestines.
  There are two forms of gallbladder surgery, Laparoscopic removal and open surgery. Laparoscopic is the most preferred form of surgery which uses a laparoscopic cholecystectomy which is an instrument with a camera that is inserted into a small opening in the abdomen. This instrument had surgical equipment attached to take out the gallstones. This procedure can take 20 minutes to an hour and is less painful than open surgery.
  Open surgery will require a a 3- to 6-inch incision in the abdomen to remove the gallstones. This procedure is not performed often and it takes an average or 45 to 90 minutes.

Inflamed Pancreas

• There are two forms of an inflamed pancreas that may be caused by gallstones: acute and chronic. The procedure for acute pancreatitis will begin with an IV of antibiotics to relieve pain. In certain cases the patient may need to be feed by a nasogastric feeding tube that is inserted through the nose and throat. This form of feeding will allow the pancreas time to heal while the antibiotics are working to reduce inflammation.
  Therapeutic Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is a tube with a computerized camera attached to view the pancreas. This procedure is done in acute and chronic cases.
  The treatment for chronic pancreatitis will follow the same steps an as acute condition. After those steps are complete, your doctor may prescribe synthetic pancreatic enzymes to help food to digest. A nutritious plan of small low-fat meals will be required to treat this condition.