Gallbladder Specialist
Gallstones aren’t always painful, but if they are you should see a gallbladder specialist. Generally, gallbladder removal is recommended for painful gallstones.
Sometimes symptoms can feel like a heart attack, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome or a hernia. But if you have symptoms, you should see a gallbladder specialist.
Do you need a gallbladder specialist?
If you experienced painful gallstones, you should see a gallbladder specialist. Gallstone symptoms can vary, but they often follow fatty meals. Symptoms you might experience, are:
- Steady and more progressive pain in your upper abdomen usually worse on the right
- Pain between your shoulder blades
- Pain under your right shoulder
- Nausea, vomiting, indigestion and belching
- Bloating
"Not all patients experience symptoms. Sometimes symptoms can feel like a heart attack, stomach ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome or a hernia. But if you have symptoms, you should see a gallbladder specialist. At Upper GI West, we try and ensure you get an accurate diagnosis."
There are three types of gallstones. These include:
- Cholesterol stones
- Pigment stones
- Mixed stones
Gallbladder Specialist
Your gallbladder expert will diagnose gallstones using various techniques. The treatment you receive will depend on what your gallbladder specialist recommends is right for you.
How does your gallbladder doctor diagnose gallstones?
There are various ways to diagnose gallstones. The most sensitive is ultrasound. Depending on your symptoms we may also consider blood tests. A CT scan can also show gallstones and complications.
"Another method is using a telescope, called an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). During sedation, the telescope is passed via the mouth, along the oesophagus and stomach and into the duodenum. An X-ray die looks for stones that have passed into the bile duct. These can then be extracted."
One other way to diagnose gallstones is using a HIDA scan. This looks at the function of the gallbladder. Your gallbladder specialist will be able to assess and interpret the result and act accordingly.
Gallbladder removal surgery in Perth
If you have gallstones that are causing pain, gallbladder removal is recommended. The most common technique used by gallbladder surgeons is laparoscopic cholecystectomy. This procedure involves tiny incisions in your abdomen. A camera is used to give your surgeon a view of your organs and tissues. Your gallbladder specialist can then safely remove your gallbladder. All the Upper GI West surgeons have been trained and are capable of removing gallstones that have moved into the bile ducts during the laparoscopic operation as well. If technically possible and anatomically favourable this has been shown to be beneficial to patients leading to shorter hospital stays and often avoiding another procedure such as an ERCP to remove the stones.
"Sometimes the stones will have passed into your bile duct. If that happens, your surgeon may use keyhole surgery to remove them at the same time as the gallbladder removal. Alternatively, an ERCP can be used to locate and remove the gallstones. Our experienced gallbladder specialists select the best approach for your condition."
Key Points
If you experience painful gallstones, gallbladder removal is recommended
Gallbladder experts use various techniques to diagnose gallstones
Experienced gallbladder specialists will generally use keyhole surgery to remove your gallbladder
Upper GI: a team of gallbladder experts
At Upper GI West, we have extensive experience in treating patients with gallstones. Usually, we recommend laparoscopic surgery. We have found this procedure reduces risks for many patients, allows a speedy recovery, return to work and physical activity.
Our team has managed simple and complex gallbladder surgeries. As a practice with Perth’s top upper GI specialists, we believe in working collaboratively. We combine our experiences to keep improving our clinical outcomes and we help each patient with the most recent data and techniques.
