Gallbladder Surgery

What is the function of the gallbladder?

The gallbladder really doesn't produce anything. It's simply a storage bag. Bile is made in the liver, transported to the gallbladder, and will sit there until you eat. When the gallbladder is stimulated to empty, it's like a little bag pump. Without the gallbladder, the same bile can be stored in the bile ducts that connect the liver and the biliary tree to the bowel.

What is the treatment for a malfunctioning gallbladder?

How we take care of the gallbladder varies from patient to patient depending on why the gallbladder is a problem. In one patient, the gallbladder may need to be removed. Whereas if the patient has multiple medical problems, medical diseases that prevent them from being put to sleep or maybe on blood thinners, we do work closely with our radiology colleagues to do more non-surgical procedures to get them out of trouble immediately. Then, in a more elective setting, we discuss the pros and cons of keeping the gallbladder versus taking it out where we can control more variables than when a patient presents through the emergency room.