Specialization
Freedom from Gallstones, Polyps, Tumors and Cancer: Expert Treatment via Robotic Surgery in Dubai
Introduction to Gallstones, Polyps, Tumors, Cancer and Gallbladder Disorders
Gallstones are very common and affect more than one-in-ten people. Gallstones are hard, pebble-like pieces of cholesterol or bilirubin, that form in your gallbladder. They can range in size from a grain of sand to a golf ball. The gallbladder can make one large gallstone, hundreds of tiny stones, or a mix of both small and large stones. Most gallstones don’t cause blockages and are painless, they are also called “silent” gallstones. Silent gallstones usually don’t need medical treatment. When gallstones block the bile ducts of your biliary tract, they can cause sudden pain in your upper right abdomen. This pain is called a gallbladder attack, or biliary colic. If your symptoms continue and they’re left untreated, gallstones can cause serious complications.
Surgical Treatment for Gallstones, Polyps, Tumors and Cancer with Dr Mahmoud Tabbal in Dubai
There are possibilities for non-surgical intervention that Dr. Tabbal may apply to manage your gallstones. However, you can only receive this treatment if your gallbladder is functioning normally, and your stones are small. Since gallstones tend to recur, a cholecystectomy is the normal surgical route required to remove your gallbladder. In the open, traditional method, an incision is made in the upper right-hand side of your belly to remove the gallbladder. In the preferred, laparoscopic method, or keyhole surgery, Dr. Tabbal will use 3 to 4 very small incisions, and a long, thin tube called a laparoscope with a tiny video camera and surgical tools. Dr. Tabbal will complete the surgery while looking at a video monitor and will remove the gallbladder through one of the incisions. This less invasive procedure reduces postoperative discomfort and makes for faster recovery times.
Which People Are Most at Risk for Gallbladder Stones in Dubai
Certain groups of people have a higher risk of developing gallstones than others. Women are more likely to develop gallstones than men. Women who have extra estrogen in their body due to pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or birth control pills, may be more likely to produce gallstones. So are chronically obese people. Also, as you age, the chance that you’ll develop gallstones becomes higher. You are more likely to develop gallstones if you have liver disease, infections of the bile ducts, and some intestinal diseases that affect normal absorption of nutrients, such as Crohn’s disease.The complications of gallstones can include severe damage to or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or liver, and gallstone pancreatitis, which is inflammation of the pancreas due to a gallstone blockage. Many people do not have any symptoms of gallstones until they have complications, and if left untreated, gallstones can be deadly.
Why Choose Dr. Mahmoud Tabbal for Gallbladder Removal Surgery
Dr Mahmoud Tabbal is a Board-Certified Consultant General, Laparoscopic and Robotic Surgeon with more than twenty years’ experience across the USA, Canada, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. He is currently based at Fakeeh University Hospital, Dubai, specialising in hepatobiliary and oncology surgery, and serves as Chair of the General Surgery Department and Deputy Chair of the Surgical Institute. He also practices part-time as a Consultant Hepatobiliary and Oncology Surgeon at HealthBay Clinic, Dubai.
Dr Tabbal is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and completed his advanced surgical training in the USA and Canada. He also holds a Jordanian Board Certificate in General Surgery, an Advanced Diploma in Laparoscopic Surgery from France, and an Advanced Robotic Surgery Training Certificate from the USA.
He performs a broad range of procedures across General Surgery, minimally invasive and robotic surgery, hepatobiliary surgery, and advanced surgical oncology. He is an active member of leading regional and international societies and a regular speaker at major medical congresses worldwide.
What to Eat and What Not to Eat After Gallbladder Removal
Without a gallbladder, bile flows straight into your small intestine, where it can’t break down food as effectively. While you can live normally without your gallbladder, you may need to make some changes to your diet. You’ll probably need to reduce or avoid high-fat, oily, greasy, and processed foods, which are tougher for your body to digest after the surgery. Meats that are processed or high in fat can affect your digestive system following removal of your gallbladder. Dairy can also be hard for your body to digest as it adjusts without a gallbladder. If cutting dairy out of your diet isn’t realistic, try to choose fat-free yogurt and low-fat cheese options, or versions that contain non-dairy alternatives, such as soya milk. However, in the months after the procedure, you’ll probably be able to slowly add some of these foods back into your diet. Fiber can improve digestion in the absence of concentrated bile. Just build up your intake slowly so you don’t overdo it right after surgery, as it can also cause gas, but try to incorporate as many nutrient-dense fruits and vegetables into your diet as possible.
FAQs about Gallstones Treatment and Gallbladder Removal
What are gallstones?
Gallstones are small, solid lumps that form from a digestive fluid called bile, within the gallbladder. They can range in size from as small as a grain of sand to as large as a golf ball. Gallstones can cause problems if they become lodged in a duct causing a blockage. Gallstones can occur in the gallbladder and migrate to the bile duct, or they can form in the bile duct itself.
What is the gallbladder and what does it do?
What is the gallbladder and what does it do? The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped sac located under the liver. It stores and concentrates bile, which is produced in the liver. When required for digestion of food, bile is released through the bile duct into the small intestine. Bile helps to break down fats and aids the digestion of fat soluble vitamins.
How common are gallstones?
How common are gallstones? Gallstones are very common. Research has shown that around one in six men and one in three women suffer from gallstones at some point in their life. Gallstones appear to be becoming more common and affecting younger people, possibly due to changes in our diets.
What causes gallstones?
It’s not clear why gallstones form, but it is thought that gallstones may result from:
- Too much cholesterol in bile – which may crystallise to form gallstones.
- Excess bilirubin – a chemical that is produced when your body breaks down red blood cells – may contribute to gallstone formation. This may occur due to certain blood disorders, infections or liver disease.
Incomplete emptying of the gallbladder – may cause bile to become very concentrated, contributing to the formation of gallstones.
What factors make getting gallstones more likely?
The following factors appear to increase the risk of gallstones:
- Women are twice as likely to develop gallstones than men
- Gallstones are more common after 40 years of age
- Obesity
- Sedentary or physically inactive lifestyle
- Diet high in fat and cholesterol but low in fibre
- Regularly skipping meals or fasting
- Family members who have had gallstones
- Diabetes – due to high levels of fatty acids, called triglycerides, which increase the risk for gallstones
- Liver disease
- Certain blood disorders, such as sickle cell anemia or leukaemia
- Rapid weight loss – may lead to extra cholesterol in bile as fat is metabolised
- Excess oestrogen due to pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy, or contraceptive pills appears to increase cholesterol levels in bile and decrease gallbladder movement, both of which can lead to gallstones
Drugs which lower blood cholesterol, as these can increase the amount of cholesterol secreted in bile
How will I know if I have gallstones?
Many people with small gallstones have no symptoms, and so may be unaware that they have them unless they show up on a diagnostic test done for another reason.
When gallstones lodge in a duct causing a blockage, this may lead to an ‘attack’ (biliary colic), often occurring after a fatty meal, or at night.
Symptoms may include:
- Sudden and rapidly intensifying pain in the centre or upper right portion of the abdomen
- Back pain between your shoulder blades
- Pain in your right shoulder
- Nausea or vomiting
- Abdominal bloating
- Indigestion
Pain may last several minutes to a few hours. Symptoms vary between individuals and similar symptoms may occur with other medical problems. Therefore it is important to consult your doctor if you experience any of these symptoms.
If gallstones cause serious complications, you may experience the following signs and symptoms which require immediate medical attention:
- Extreme abdominal pain
- Yellowing of the skin and the whites of your eyes (jaundice)
- High fever with chills
- Clay-coloured stools
What problems can gallstones cause?
- Inflammation of the gallbladder (cholecystitis) can occur when a gallstone becomes lodged in the neck of the gallbladder. Cholecystitis can cause severe pain and fever.
- Blockage of the bile ducts through which bile flows from your gallbladder or liver to your small intestine. This is called choledocholithiasis and can cause severe pain, jaundice and bile duct infection.
- Pancreatitis (inflammation of the pancreas) can occur if a gallstone blocks the pancreatic duct. Pancreatitis causes intense, constant abdominal pain and usually requires hospitalization.
- Increased risk of gallbladder cancer. But as gallbladder cancer is very rare, the likelihood of gallbladder cancer is still very small.
How are gallstones diagnosed?
Your doctor will ask questions about your symptoms and medical history and carry out a physical examination. The following tests and procedures may be used to diagnose gallstones and related complications:
- Abdominal ultrasound
- Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) – can help identify smaller stones that may be missed on an abdominal ultrasound
- Cholecystography – a type of X-ray using a contrast material to show the flow of fluid through the intestines into the gallbladder
- Computerized tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
- Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) involves inserting an endoscope (small flexible tube with a camera) through the mouth and the stomach to reach the opening of the bile duct into the intestine. A contrast dye is used to see the bile ducts more clearly on X-ray. Gallstones discovered using ERCP can be removed during the procedure.
- Blood tests to look for signs of infection, jaundice, pancreatitis or other complications
What is the treatment for gallstones?
Gallstones that don’t cause any signs and symptoms don’t usually need treatment, however good surgical advice is still needed for asymptomatic gallstones.
Where gallstones are causing problems, treatment options may include:
- Surgery to remove the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) can often be done using a minimally invasive (keyhole surgery) technique. Once the gallbladder is removed, bile flows directly from your liver into your small intestine, rather than being stored in your gallbladder. The gallbladder is not essential for digestion or health, although diarrhoea may be a side effect of its removal.
- Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) to remove gallstones in the bile duct using an endoscope, avoiding the need for surgery. Alternatively, small drainage tubes (stents) may be inserted around the stones to allow the bile to flow freely again.
- Oral dissolution therapy involves taking a medicine made from bile acid to dissolve the stones. This treatment is now rarely used as it may take months or years to dissolve gallstones, and they can recur if treatment is stopped.
Can gallstones be prevented?
Some people are more prone to developing gallstones, but you can reduce your risk if you:
- Avoid skipping meals
- Lose weight slowly
- Eat more high-fibre foods, such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains
- Reduce the amount of fatty foods you eat
- Maintain a healthy weight and get regular exercise
