When you experience a pain on the side and back just below the ribs that at times radiates to the lower abdomen and is fluctuating in intensity, it is quite unlikely for you to think that the reason could be a kidney stone. One of the early symptoms of kidney stone, when you experience such pain, you must seek medical advice. However, there is no need to panic as it is completely curable. Read on to understand more about this condition.

What is urinary bladder stone?
Vesical calculus, which is more commonly referred to as bladder stones, are formed due to a buildup of minerals. It may occur when the bladder is not entirely emptied after urinating. In the course of time, the residual urine becomes concentrated, and the minerals start forming crystals. When the stones are in a miniature state, they can easily pass out, but at times, when they are quite big, they may get stuck in the walls of the urinary tract and cause severe pain and discomfort.

What are the causes of urinary bladder stones?
Bladder stones start growing when the urine is left in the bladder for a long span of time. This may happen due to some underlying medical condition which can prevent the bladder from completely emptying. Conditions which are responsible for causing stones in the urinary tract are as follows

Enlargement of the prostate: When the prostate is enlarged, it may exert pressure on the urethra and disrupt the flow. It leads to retention of urine and creates an ideal environment for the formation of stones.
Diverticula and enlargement of bladder: Sometimes, pouches form within the bladder, and when they become too large, they can retain urine and prevent the bladder from being emptied completely.
Usage of medical devices: Bladder stones may form when an individual uses catheters or other medical devices.
Inflammation of the bladder: Radiation therapy or infection in the urinary tract that causes inflammation or enlargement of the bladder can lead to the formation of stones. Also, if a person has kidney stones, they can come down to the ureters, and in case they become too large to pass, they would stay in the bladder and cause substantial obstruction. Kidney stones are more common than stones in the urinary bladder.
How are kidney stones treated?
Specific lifestyle changes such as drinking enough liquids, taking calcium supplements, limiting the amount of caffeine and alcohol and reducing body weight are some of the simplest yet effective means of treating urinary stones at earlier stages.

Use of specific medicines can also reduce the calcium and uric acid stones by controlling the amount of alkali or acid in the urine. These medications reduce the amount of calcium released by the kidneys so that they can be retained in the bone. If these treatment options do not work, you must consider undergoing surgical intervention.

Stones In Urinary Tract - 4 Particular Reasons Behind It!

Gallstones are solid deposits/stones of digestive fluids that form in the gall bladder. The size of these stones varies from person to person. While some people may develop only one stone in the bladder, others may develop multiple gallstones simultaneously.

Signs you must watch out for-

Abdominal pain
Pain in the back or between the shoulder blades
Vomiting and nausea
Heartburn
Bloating and indigestion
Change in bowel movement
Dark urine
Fever and chills
Rapid heartbeat
Yellowish skin and pale eyes (Jaundice)
These are the most common symptoms that a person with gallstones encounters. One should consult the doctor right away upon experiencing these symptoms. If ignored for long, these signs can aggravate and lead to further complications.

Complications that may arise from gallstones-
There are quite a few complications of gallstones, including the following-

Cholecystitis- when gallstones become stuck at the neck of the gallbladder, it causes inflammation.
Obstruction in the pancreatic duct- a gallstone blocking the pancreatic duct can cause pancreatitis followed by intense abdominal pain.
Blockage in the bile duct- if the gallstones create a blockage in your bile duct, the outcome may be an infection or jaundice.
Gallbladder cancer- people, who have a history of gallstones, are more likely to develop gallbladder cancer.
Treatment of Gallstones-
Gallstones can certainly be treated, if diagnosed early in time. To confirm the diagnosis, your doctor may perform a CT scan, X-ray, Ultrasound or an ERCP. Once the condition is diagnosed, your doctor will recommend a surgery to remove the stones in the gallbladder (known as Cholecystectomy). The preferred choice of surgery includes the following-

Laparoscopic removal- In most of the cases, the doctor adopts this minimally invasive approach to remove gallstones. First, he makes a small incision in the abdomen. He will then insert a tube-like instrument with an attached camera into the gallbladder to have a clear sight of the gallstones, and surgically remove them from the gallbladder.
Open surgery- This is performed under general anesthesia. During this procedure, a single, long incision of roughly 3-6 inches is made on the upper side of your right abdomen. The tissues and muscles are pulled back to divulge the gallbladder. The gallstones are then removed, and the incision stitched up. Open surgery is performed when laparoscopic surgery is not suitable for the patient.
Gallstones cannot be managed with just diet and medications. A surgery is usually needed to remove the stones and cure the patient. For Laparoscopic surgery, the rate of success is nearly over 95%. Identify the symptoms before it aggravates, and consult a doctor for treatment.

Gall Stones - Is Surgery The Only Treatment?

Gallstone Pancreatitis is the result of a blockage in the pancreatic duct by a gallstone. Due to the blockage in the pancreatic duct, inflammation occurs and causes the problem to begin.

This can be a life-threatening situation and should be immediately checked. If the stones from the gallbladder travel down the common bile duct and get stuck at the sphincter, it can stop the outflow of all materials from the pancreas as well as the liver and become quite severe. There are a lot of risks involved when a person suffers from this issue. Rapid weight loss, high cholesterol levels, diabetes are a few of the risks of the disease.

Symptoms of Gallstone Pancreatitis
There are a number of symptoms like pangs of pain in the upper left abdomen and the back, swollen and tender abdomen, vomiting and nausea, increase in the heart rate, fever and more can be seen in a patient suffering from gallstone pancreatitis. Any individual who notices any of the following symptoms should get themselves checked immediately. Any pain in the upper abdominal area can be aggravated by eating foods which are high in fat as well.

Diagnosis of Gallstone Pancreatitis
In order to be completely sure about having gallstone pancreatitis, a number of tests are performed. Blood tests are followed by abdominal CAT scan to check for the inflammation of the pancreas. This also shows how severe the inflammation of the pancreas is. Sometimes abdominal ultrasound is also suggested as CAT scans are sometimes not as sensitive in identifying the problem. Once the problem has been detected, immediate treatment is recommended by doctors.

The Treatment of Gallstone Pancreatitis
The best treatment for pancreatitis is done in the initial stage of the problem. By avoiding taking in liquids and solid food up until the inflammation subsides is one of the best treatments. If the inflammation is relatively modest, the swelling can reduce in a few days by intravenous delivery of fluids for a couple of days.

1. If a CAT scan or MRI of abdomen suggest that a stone in present in the Common bile Duct (CBD), the an Endoscopic treatment referred as ERCP (endoscopic retrograde cholangio-pancreatography) is done. 

2. After the acute pancreatitis episode settles down, patient must undergo a Gall Bladder removal surgery. This is done as gall bladder is the factory of gall stones and patient is at-risk to another episode of Acute Pancreatitis.

In case of severe inflammation, fever and persisting pain, intravenous delivery of food should continue if oral intake of food does not start within 5 to 7 days. Anti-nausea medications are used to treat severe nausea and vomiting along with nasogastric tube. In certain cases, it is important to remove the gallstones from the bladder immediately while in some cases doctors suggest waiting for a period of 24-48 hours before starting the removal procedure. Sometimes a surgical removal of the gallstones is also required but only if the stones do not pass out of the system on their own.

All You Need to Know About Gallstone Pancreatitis

Cholecystectomy is an operation performed to remove the gallbladder. The gallbladder is a kind of a small sac found just below the liver, on the right hand side of the abdomen. The gallbladder stores a liquid known as bile. Bile is made in the liver and it gets released into the intestine along with the meals. The importance of bile lies in the fact that it helps to digest the fat in foods.
As gallbladder is not really an essential organ, so a child would do well after cholecystectomy. Once the gallbladder gets removed through this pediatric surgery, bile will continue to get released from the liver right into the intestine along with meals.

What is the necessity behind cholecystectomy?
The necessity for performing this surgery of Cholecystectomy can be outlined as follows:

The main reason behind the surgery is gallstones and pain.
Gallstones are small rocks, which form inside the gallbladder
These stones prevent the release of bile out from the gallbladder.
This blockage results in pain as well as jaundice
If a child comes across these problems, he or she would be recommended by his or her primary doctor to visit a paediatrician.
A paediatrician can get rid of the gallstones by removing the gallbladder through performing the surgery if Cholecystectomy.
How is the surgery performed?
The surgery is performed in the following manner:

A Cholecystectomy is performed on most of the occasions by way of laparoscopy.
A small telescope and tiny instruments are placed through very small incisions made on the abdomen.
The surgery normally gets completed within two hours.
When a child gets hospitalized, he or she receives intravenous fluids, antibiotics as well as pain medication.
As and when a child feels well, he/she would be allowed to eat, drink and also take pain relievers through mouth.
Cholecystectomy surgery involves very less loss of blood. Only in a rare case, when there is an emergency, a child needs to receive blood.
Children are released from hospital, one or two days after the surgery as and when they are able to eat, drink and be comfortable about themselves.
Homecare needed after the surgery
There are certain guidelines which parents must follow when their children get back home after the surgery. They include:

Pain management: The pain medication prescribed by the paediatrician is not required at a routine basis after discharge from the hospital. Most of the children only require Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or Ibuprophen once they are at home.
Healing ridge: Once the small incisions get healed, children would be able to feel a firm ridge just below it. It would last for few months, slowly get softened and then disappear.

Cholecystectomy - Know More About It!

It is an extremely embarrassing situation to have a bladder leakage. Social life could be altered, with reduced socialising for fear of losing control in the presence of others. Though not discussed frankly, it is an extremely common issue and about 25 million people in the United States suffer from this, with 75% of these being women.

Treatment depends on the type of incontinence, such as stress, urge, overflow, functional, or mixed. It starts with least invasive methods like lifestyle changes moving over to surgical approaches.

Ways to manage it

With trips to the toilet increasing considerably when you have urinary incontinence, simple measures can help manage leakage.

Bladder training: Train your bladder to control the urge for another 10 minutes. This happens by voluntarily contracting the muscles and holding up the urge to go to the toilet. Gradually, it will help increase the frequency of the visit to 4 to 6 hours.
Scheduled toilet trips: Whether or not there is an urge, visit the toilet every 4 to 6 hours.
Double emptying: Even after you have voided, force yourself to void one more time. The residual urine, which is almost always present in the bladder, also gets emptied.
Food/diet modifications: Stress incontinence is worsened by alcohol, spicy foods, acidic foods, and caffeine. Avoiding these can help reduce bladder leakage.
Kegel exercises: The simple repetition of contracting the pelvic floor muscles, holding it in place, and releasing it can do wonders for strengthening the pelvic floor. This can be done anywhere and any time of the day and is very effective for improving bladder control.
Catheters: These can be used if the incontinence is short-lived; the person would need to learn how to safely insert and remove it.
Absorbent pads and medical devices: The absorbent pads are helpful in preventing embarrassment during social situations. On the other hand, medical devices like pessary are inserted into the vagina to support the bladder neck and thereby prevent leakage from the bladder.
Drugs: Anticholinergics/antimuscarinics are useful to control a leaking bladder. Botox injections can help paralyse the overactive bladder muscles and provide a solution. Topical oestrogen may be used in small amounts to improve tone and reduce incontinence. Alpha blockers are also used in some people with good results. There are muscles that relax the bladder and increase the amount of urine it can contain.
Surgery: In the event that all these measures are not useful, surgical correction is possible. Sling procedure where an artificial mesh is used to support the urethra. Bladder neck suspension is where the bladder neck is given support to prevent leakage. If there is a pelvic organ prolapse, that is corrected to rectify the bladder leakage.

 Bladder Leakage - Solutions To Help You Manage It!

Gall bladder is a very important digestive gland, which is located on the right side of your abdomen, just beneath your liver. Its main function is to collect, store and release bile, a digestive fluid produced in your liver, essential for metabolizing fats, into your small intestine.

Sometimes, small hard stones comprising of cholesterol, bile pigments and calcium salts in the shape of a pebble, can form in your gall bladder. Gallstones may cause no symptoms but when the gallstone lodges in ducts and blocks the flow of bile, it can cause persistent high-intensity pain which requires gallstone surgery.

Surgery is then prescribed to remove the gall bladder. This surgery is called cholecystectomy. It s done when there are

Gallstones in the gallbladder
Gallstones in the bile duct
Gallbladder inflammation
Inflammation in pancreas
Gallstone surgery or cholecystectomy is a common surgery, and it comes with only a small risk of complications and you can walk out of the hospital on the day of the surgery itself.

Procedure

Minimally invasive or laparoscopic cholecystectomy
During this procedure, the surgeon makes 4 tiny incisions in your abdomen and inserts a tube with a tiny video camera inside it.
Through a video monitor, the surgeon watches while he inserts surgical tools through the other 3 incisions to remove your gallbladder.
After the surgery, the surgeon confirms that there are no gallstones left. Once this is done, he sutures your incisions and you are taken to the recovery area. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy takes just 2 hours or so.
But the problem with this procedure is that it  not appropriate for everyone. Sometimes, what happens is that, the surgeon may start with a laparoscopic surgery and then may decide to go for an open gallstone surgery because of scar tissue or complications.
Traditional or open cholecystectomy
This procedure requires a bigger incision of about 6-inches in your abdomen, below your ribs on the right side. The liver and gallbladder are exposed and the surgeon removes the gallbladder.
An open cholecystectomy takes one or two hours.
Single-incision Laparoscopy Surgery

Traditional laparoscopic surgeries use a telescopic rod attached to a video camera called a laparoscope, which is inserted through a small incision. Apart from this, 3 to 5 additional small cuts are made to insert the other surgical instruments to perform the surgery.

However, single-incision laparoscopy surgery (SILS) is a revolutionary minimally invasive surgical procedure conducted through a single incision. It provides a better cosmetic outcome, as a small incision is made through the patient s navel or belly button, resulting in an almost scarless outcome.

Indications

Most patients who are good candidates for laparoscopic surgery are eligible for single-port procedures. Some of the surgeries that single incision laparoscopy is indicated for include cholecystectomy (removal of gall bladder), appendectomy (removal of appendix), splenectomy (removal of spleen), hepatectomy (removal of liver) and adrenalectomy (removal of adrenal glands). SILS can also be used for diagnostic purposes.

However, patients who have previously undergone multiple major surgeries to the abdominal region and those who are morbidly obese are not considered for SILS.

Procedure

Single Incision Laparoscopy is usually performed as day surgery either in the hospital or outpatient surgery center under general, regional, or occasionally local anesthesia depending on the type of procedure performed and the surgeon s preference.

The patient is made to lie down in a tilted position so that the feet are placed higher than the head. The surgeon makes a single incision of about 3/4th of an inch at the belly button and injects a harmless gas to expand the area and obtain a clear view of the operative site. A tube called a trocar or port is placed through the incision, through which the laparoscope (a narrow telescope having a light source and camera) and tiny surgical instruments are inserted. The laparoscope guides your surgeon with images of the abdominal contents that can be viewed on a large screen. Once the diseased organ is excised, your surgeon removes the instruments, releases the gas, and closes the incision with a small bandage.

Recovery

Common post-operative guidelines following Single Incision laparoscopy include the following:

You will need someone to drive you home after you are released as the anesthesia may make you feel groggy and tired
Do not remove the dressing over the incision for the first two days and keep the area clean and dry.  No showering or bathing during this time.  The incision usually heals in about 5 days
Your surgeon may give you activity restrictions such as no heavy lifting. It is very important that you follow your surgeon s instructions for a successful recovery
You may feel soreness around the incision area. Your surgeon may give you a prescription pain medicine or recommend NSAID s (non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) for the first few days to keep you comfortable
If the abdomen was distended with gas, you may experience discomfort in the abdomen, chest, or shoulder area for a couple days while the excess gas is being absorbed
Diet

You must be very careful with your diet after gallstone removal as your body will not be able to digest fats well. You will of course be sticking to a liquid diet for a week or two and then introduce solids back into your diet. When you do so, you have to stick to a low fat diet. Stay off fried foods and gas-forming foods. Also make sure that you consume no more than 60 gm of fats per meal to avoid discomfort. Stay off spicy foods to avoid bloats and abdominal pains.

Gallbladder Surgery - Aftercare Tips To Help You Recover Better!

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