Question:
Can my gall bladder be removed endoscopically?
I found out this week that I need to have my gall bladder removed. Thanks to this board, I found information to assist me in giving info to my WLS surgeon. I thought I might have had a bowel obstruction or possibly dumped on alcohol, (see my profile), but someone asked a question regarding the type of pain I experienced, and lo and behold, after discussing it w/ my surgeon, I had a sonogram that confirmed gall stones. SO, I spoke to my PS, and told him that the surgery is scheduled to be done 6 weeks before my abdominoplasty (if I get approved). He suggested strongly that it would be better/easier for him, if the gall bladder was done endoscopically. Can RNY post-ops have this type of procedure?? Have any of you had lap gall bladder surgery then abdominoplasty?? I would appreciate any info or anyone sharing their experiences. Thanks!!! — Fixnmyself (posted on May 22, 2004)
May 22, 2004
Do you possibly mean laproscopically? An endoscope is a different procedure
that is going in thru the mouth going down thru the stomach to look at that
area of your digestive track. And yes you can have your gall bladder taken
out with a laproscope.
— ChristineB
May 22, 2004
Hi, I definitely am asking about an endoscopic gall bladder removal. My
WLS surgeon wants to do it lap, but my PS is asking if I can have it done
endoscopically, as to have him not have to deal with the lap scars in the
area of the incision he needs to make for the abdominoplasty. I am just
not sure if an endoscopic removal of the gall bladder can be done on RNY
post-ops without complications. I have e-mailed my WLS surgeon for his
perspective on the situation.
— Fixnmyself
May 22, 2004
I don't see how a gall bladder can be removed endoscopically on ANYBODY.
The endoscope goes down through the mouth, into the stomach (and for normal
folks) can continue a little ways through the pyloric valve and into the
first part of the small intestine. The gall bladder is a separate organ
outside of the intestinal tract. It secretes juices that join the
intestine, but the organ itself is outside of it.
— Jim F
May 23, 2004
Ummm, I don't see how that can be possible either. WLS patient or not.
Unless of course they go down thru the mouth, cut a giant hole in your
stomach to reach the abdomen. Which, ummmmm, would be insane.
— RebeccaP
May 23, 2004
I know. It doesn't seem right to me either, especially since I don't want
to mess with the WLS area. However, my PS claims to have had his done that
way. My luck they'd end up enlarging my stoma. I am going to have the 2
Drs. duke it out as to how the gall bladder is best removed as a post-op.
I just want it out before my TT. I'll keep you all up to date on my
profile. Thanks!!
— Fixnmyself
May 23, 2004
Maybe he means that he wants you to have an ERCP - endoscopic retrograde
cholangiopancreatography. They can go thru the mouth, to the stomach to the
duodenum to the bile duct. They can remove stones that way if the stone is
in the duct. They can also place a stent in the bile duct if it is
occluded. I never heard of removing the gallbladder this way though. I am a
nurse and have taken care of many ERCP procedure patients though. Good
luck
— catleth
May 23, 2004
It would be impossible to go through the mouth, into the stomach then on to
the duodenum IF YOU ARE RNY. No access to the duodenum from the pouch. No
access to the duodenum from the Y limb either. The only way I've ever
heard of a gall bladder being removed from a gastric bypass or a normal
body is by cutting a hole into the body through your skin and taking it out
that way, lap or open. Sounds to me like the best bet would be to take out
the gb while doing the TT, 1 hospital stay and 1 anesthetic. JMHO/I'm no
doc.
— mary ann T.
May 23, 2004
You have all kind of put my anxiety to rest. As I said before, I really
didn't want to mess with an endoscopic procedure, and the info that there
is no access to the area as a post-op makes the options available to me
much simpler and easier to deal with. I hope to hear back from my WLS
surgeon tomorrow, and will then have a definitive answer. I will post any
info I get, especially when I get my TT approved. I'm thinking
positive!!!!!!!!!
— Fixnmyself
May 23, 2004
One more thing-----I am already having my hernia repaired with my TT and
the Dr. feels the gall bladder should be done before the other 2.
— Fixnmyself
May 23, 2004
Just a thought - I've been in the medical field for 20+ years, and
traditionally "lap" referred to LAPAROTOMY not laparoscopy.
Laparotomy is the making of a large incision for whatever purpose (WLS,
removal of gall bladder or whatever), what we refer to as "open".
It wasn't until I started researching WLS that I had ever come across
"lap" to be short for laparoscopy. Make sure that you and your
surgeon are both referencing LAPAROSCOPY when you say "Lap".
Julie RNY 12/11/02 290/190
— Jules B.
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