Gallstones, Gallbladder Disease, and Surgery: A Patient's Guide

Almost one million gallbladder surgeries are performed annually in the United States and often, patients have almost no understanding of what is happening to their bodies. As surgeons we do a poor job educating our patients, and patients are often too intimidated by the prospects of surgery to think of the right questions to ask!

This brief, 7600 word text offers a description of the anatomy of the gallbladder and how that anatomy influences treatment options. Topics covered include:

What is the gallbladder?
What are gallstones?
What are the symptoms of stones in the gallbladder?
What about stones outside the gallbladder?
Why surgery? Can't you just remove the stones?
How do you do the surgery?
What should I expect after the operation?

Specifically, this text gives an anatomic explanation for why gallstones are treated the way they are. It includes descriptions of what gallstones are, how their anatomic locations will cause varying symptom patterns, and the two main surgeries used to treat gallstone disease. The topics of stones in the common bile duct (choledocolithiasis and cholangitis) are also discussed, in addition to the ERCP procedure to clear the duct. There is also a discussion of post operative expectations based on commonly believed myths and commonly asked questions.

This book is written by an MD who routinely performs gallbladder surgery. I have based this book on my many years worth of experience in answering patient questions and knowing what my patients are concerned about. If you or a loved one have been told that you have gallstones, it is my sincere hope that this book will shed some light on your condition and why the proposed treatment is what it is!

Topics/subjects: gallstones, gall stones, gallbladder, gall bladder, cholecystectomy, laparoscopic, surgery, general surgery, jaundice, bile, abdominal pain, pancreas, ERCP.