Dr. Deepti Thakkar

Gall stones are stones formed in the gall bladder. The gall bladder is a small pouch like organ which is just under the liver. Its function is to store bile produced by the liver and send it to intestines for digestion. Stones form in the gall bladder due to various reasons such as Obesity, rapid weight loss, intestinal bypass surgery, infections by worms, hereditary conditions etc. The most common stones are cholesterol stones. 

Symptoms: 
Gall stones sometimes may not cause any symptoms. Sometimes they can block gall bladder duct and cause infection called as cholecystitis. They can cause inflammation in the pancreas called pancreatitis.They can block bile ducts and cause jaundice. This may require removal of the gallbladder through surgery, known as cholecystectomy, which is commonly performed with Laparoscopy i.e Key hole surgery. Gall bladder performs the function of storing bile. Hence its removal does not cause any major change in digestion. Bile production in liver is not affected by gall bladder surgery. 

Procedure of surgery: 
The surgery involves removal of gallbladder and gallstones through small incisions in the abdomen. In order to see clearly, the surgeon inflates the abdomen with air or carbon dioxide. A lighted scope attached to a video camera is inserted into one incision near the belly button. The video monitor is used as a guide for inserting other surgical instruments into the other incisions to remove the gallbladder. The gall bladder is removed with the stones and sent for pathology testing. 

Medical factors to consider before cholecystectomy: 
The most important factor is a consideration of your medical history. This is because the pre-existing conditions such as Diabetes, high blood pressure, heart problems etc influence decisions on surgery and anaesthesia. 

Self-care after the surgery: 
With laparoscopy, the recovery is very fast. Patient can walk on the same day and can join work in 2-3 days. Pain is very less as there are no big cuts. Heavy lifting and high fatty and spicy food should be avoided for a few weeks after surgery. In case you have a concern or query you can always consult an expert & get answers to your questions!

Feeling a lump in your breasts can be scary. 'Cancer' is the first thing that comes to mind but in reality, most lumps in the breast are not caused by cancer. Apart from cancer, breast lumps can be caused by non-cancerous growths, injuries and infections. The only way to correctly diagnose the cause of a lump in the breasts is through a biopsy. Hence, this is the first step towards treating a breast lump. 

From here on, treatment will depend on the cause identified. 

Mastitis or Breast Infection: Mastitis is a painful infection of the breast tissue often faced by women who are breastfeeding. It can be treated with hot fomentation and antibiotics. Massaging the breast while taking a warm shower or applying a warm compress. This will open up the milk ducts and should be followed by nursing the baby or using a breast pump to relieve the swelling and pain. 

Abscess: Antibiotics are the first line of treatment against an abscess but this is effective only if given in the initial stage of the infection. In later stages, the pus will need to be surgically drained. 

Fibroadenomas: This is a non-cancerous tumour often found in young women. They can be diagnosed on examination and sonography of breasts. These are surgically removed with a minor surgery if increasing in size or causing pain. 

Fibrocystic Changes: In some cases, the breast itself is composed of knotted, rope like tissue. This is known as having fibrocystic breasts. These changes occur due to hormonal changes in women and are often painful. They can usually be treated with medications after confirmation of diagnosis. 

Breasts Cysts: Cysts can be defined as fluid filled lumps. In some cases, these cysts become apparent at the time of ovulation and disappear after the period. In other cases, it may need to be drained with a thin needle. Cysts often recur and need to be re-drained. Fat Necrosis and Lipoma: Fat necrosis is a lump caused by an injury to the fatty tissue in the breast. Lipoma is a fatty growth within the fatty tissue. In both these cases, no treatment is required but if it causes any problems, it can be removed. 

Breast Cancer: If the biopsy or mammography reveals the presence of a cancerous tumour, you must immediately consult a surgeon. There are excellent new treatments available for Breast cancer and it can be treated effectively with these. Treatment options for breast cancer include chemotherapy, radiation, surgery and hormone treatment.