“Scarless transvaginal gallbladder surgery greatly improves patients’ quality of life because patients experience almost no pain after surgery. It also boosts confidence in daily life since it does not leave any scars after surgery. The reason for emphasizing this surgical method in women is that women often worry about scars.”
The gallbladder is an internal organ located under the liver that functions like a reservoir, storing and releasing bile. When food enters the digestive tract, the gallbladder releases bile to mix with the food we eat, helping to break down fats. This improves digestion and nutrient absorption. This is the importance of the gallbladder. If this organ becomes abnormal, mostly due to gallstones, doctors usually treat it with surgery. Some may feel that gallbladder surgery is a major procedure. Today, we will present the story of scarless transvaginal gallbladder surgery, where you will find a surgical method that makes the surgery much easier.
Types of gallstones include
- Cholesterol stones are the most common type, accounting for about 80% of all gallstones. They appear as white, yellow, or green lumps caused by increased cholesterol in bile or insufficient contraction of the gallbladder muscles, which cannot fully expel the bile.
- Pigment stones are smaller and darker than cholesterol stones. They are often found in patients with liver cirrhosis or blood disorders such as thalassemia or G6PD deficiency anemia.
Risk factors for gallstones
- Genetics: People with family members who have gallstones have a higher risk of developing the disease.
- Obesity: A significant risk factor because obesity increases cholesterol levels in bile.
- Estrogen hormones and pregnancy: Increase cholesterol levels and reduce gallbladder motility. Women who take contraceptive pills or hormone replacement therapy are at higher risk of gallstones.
- Gender and age: Gallstones are more common in women and the elderly.
- Diabetes: Diabetic patients tend to have higher triglyceride levels in the blood, and the gallbladder contracts less in those with high blood sugar, increasing the risk of gallstones.
- Rapid weight loss: Causes the liver to secrete more cholesterol and reduces gallbladder contraction, causing bile to remain longer in the gallbladder, increasing the chance of sedimentation.
- Diet: Especially high-fat and low-fiber diets increase the risk of gallstones.
Symptoms of gallstones
Generally, gallstones do not cause symptoms. Patients often find out they have the condition during health check-ups or when visiting a doctor for other health issues. When symptoms occur, they may include:
- Severe abdominal pain, especially in the upper abdomen or right side, lasting from 15 minutes to several hours, sometimes radiating to the shoulder blade or right shoulder area.
- Vomiting
- Nausea
- Other gastrointestinal symptoms such as bloating, indigestion, heartburn, and gas, especially a burning sensation behind the breastbone after eating fatty foods.
- If acute cholecystitis occurs, symptoms include fever, pain under the right rib cage, and possibly jaundice with dark urine.
- Gallstones are more common in women than men.
- Age over 40 years
- People with obesity, diabetes, and blood disorders
- Regular alcohol drinkers
How is scarless laparoscopic gallstone surgery different from other surgeries?
- Scarless laparoscopic gallstone surgery
- Patients receive general anesthesia with intubation.
- A 5 mm hole is made at the navel to insert carbon dioxide gas into the abdomen. Then, a 1 cm diameter camera and small instruments are inserted through the vagina into the abdominal cavity to dissect and remove the gallbladder through the vagina. The vaginal incision, only 1 cm in size, is sutured with absorbable stitches. The entire procedure takes only 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Patients experience almost no blood loss.
- After surgery, patients stay in the hospital for only 1 night and can go home the next morning.
- Laparoscopic gallstone surgery
- Small incisions of 0.5-1 cm are made, 3-4 holes on the abdomen.
- A camera is inserted into the abdomen along with instruments to remove the gallbladder.
- Hospital stay of 2-3 days.
- Significant pain at the surgical wounds in the first few days, requiring injectable pain relief, and noticeable scars on the abdomen.
- Open gallstone surgery
- A 15 cm incision is made under the right rib cage.
- Patients experience severe pain and require about 1 week of hospital recovery.
- There is a prominent scar under the right rib cage.
