Question:
What determines a surgeons removal of the gall bladder during surgery
— lweatherholtz (posted on March 18, 2004)
March 18, 2004
My surgeon removes it at the time of the surgery in order to prevent having
to have future stomach surgery. He will also remover the appendix if it can
be reached easily. I really think it varies by surgeon though.
Linn
Appeal #1
— Linn R.
March 18, 2004
My surgeon did not remove mine at the time I had open rny, because it was
healthy. I did have it removed ten months later.
— Jazzy
March 18, 2004
I was having trouble with my gallbladder when I first went to my surgeon.
He said he could remove it at the same time with no problem.
Unfortunately, he ended up having to remove it a month before I was
scheduled for my RNY due to my having a severe attack (a day and a half in
severe pain). So it just depends on the doctor. I would think most won't
want to remove a healthy organ, tho.
— lharbison
March 18, 2004
I was told that they only remove your gallbladder if on Ultrasound gall
stones show up.... I had to have all kinds of pre-op testing and one of
them was a u/s of my gallbladder....
— baybekmbrly
March 18, 2004
Many times it's insurance that determines it. Usually they will not agree
to pay for removal unless there is proof of stones etc. I realize it's
dumb, but that's the way it is. I blew my gallbladder out when I lost a
bunch of weight in 94/95. By 7 months it said get me out, so it wasn't an
issue this time but many people end up getting it removed within the first
year. It from having to process all of the fat your body is losing.
Liquid diets can also be a huge cause of the gallbladder hitting the road.
— zoedogcbr
March 18, 2004
Less than 20% of weight loss patients (nationally) experience gall bladder
disease; and, even then, not everyone with gall bladder disease needs
removal. Because the gall bladder provides an important function that aids
in digestion (not that you can't live easily without it), many surgeons
won't remove it at the time of WLS as the odds are greater that you won't
develop gall bladder disease.
— SteveColarossi
March 19, 2004
The practice will vary by surgeon. Mine said he'd TRY to remove it if it
had stones, but wouldn't guarantee that he'd be able to reach it without
making the surgery more complicated. I was lucky, he was able to remove
it; since I'd had stones for close to 20 years I was quite relieved. He
doesn't routinely remove the gall bladder if patients don't have stones,
but in those cases he prescribes actigall for several months after surgery,
since rapid weight loss--whether from surgery or dieting--often causes the
formation of gallstones.
— Celia A.
March 19, 2004
Gallbladder disease runs in my family. My mom, all three aunts and two
female cousins have had to have theirs removed. Only myself and one of my
cousins have had WLS. When I had my VBG in 95 and my revision in 2002, my
surgeon looked at it, but it was healthy so I still have it and have never
had an attack. When my cousin had her RNY 5 years ago, her surgeon looked
at it, found it full of stones and considering our family history, decided
to take it out at the time of the WLS. It just depends on the surgeon and
the condition of the gallbladder at the time of surgery.
— Ali M
March 19, 2004
I asked my surgeon about this before I had WLS. He said there was no need
to remove the gallbladder if it looked healthy.
— koogy
March 19, 2004
I had my gallbladder and appendix removed during my open RNY 18months ago.
The gall bladder was inflamed and had been giving me some pain pre surgery.
I also have history of disease in females in my family. And the appendix
was healthy, but surgeon said that many times it will go bad after RNY. SO
in order to avoid opening me up later and putting me at risk with more
anesthesia, we got itall done at the same time! now if only I cold have
talked him into tacking my boobs up and cutting off my tummy too!!!!
— Jenny_B
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