Consultant is first in county to use new method for treating gallstones

4:00pm Tuesday 10th April 2012 in Bradford by Claire Lomax

a doctor in Bradford has become the first in Yorkshire to use a new technique to shatter gallstones in patients.

Gallstones are stones, usually made of cholesterol, that form in the gallbladder. in most cases they do not cause any symptoms. however, in a small number of cases, gallstones can become trapped in a duct, which leads to a range of symptoms, including a sudden intense pain in the abdomen, nausea and vomiting and jaundice.

Risk factors include obesity and age, with older people more likely to develop gallstones.

Women are also two to three times more likely to develop gallstones than men.

Traditionally, patients needing treatment for gallstones, many of them elderly, have faced major surgery and hospital stays of up to ten days, or frequent visits to hospital for treatment to put in stents.

Health bosses in Bradford have now invested £50,000 in new equipment called SpyGlass from a company called Boston Scientific.

it consists of a baby endoscope – a tiny flexible tube and eye piece to see inside the body – which can pass up a standard endoscope and into the bile duct to directly visualise abnormalities.

tiny forceps can then be used by the doctor to take a biopsy, to aid diagnosis and management of disease or a lithotripter – a device which emits electrohydraulic shock waves – can pass up the baby scope to shatter gallstones.

it will be used on patients who have stones which can’t be removed surgically or using standard endoscopic techniques.

Dr Conrad Beckett, a consultant gastroenterologist at Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, was the first to use SpyGlass, making Bradford one of only eight other centres in the country carrying out the procedure.

Dr Beckett, who has 18 years experience, trained in the technique in Aintree, Liverpool.

he said: “It is a procedure which is lower risk for the patient and can be done as a day case. it takes about an hour-and-a-half for a big stone and because it is not comfortable for the patient it is done under general anaesthetic.

“The first procedure went very well and we crushed a big stone nicely. hopefully the patient won’t have to come back again.

“We are talking about doing a couple of cases a months and will start with the backlog of our own patients and will then be happy to take referrals from across Yorkshire.”

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The gallbladder is a pouch that sits just beneath the liver. The liver, of course, is located in the right upper quadrant. The gallbladder measures approximately 3 to 4 inches in length and about that in diameter. The gallbladder form part of the digestive system and it is used to sequester bile. Bile is used in the digestion of food.

The gallbladder functions generally with no problem for the lifetime of the person.

When the gallbladder becomes infected, it will cause pain. The gallbladder is also known to form gallstones. The gallstones are due to an accumulation of cholesterol. They are crystalline-like formations that when they occur is an abnormal occurrence and sometimes they will cause an obstruction of the gallbladder.

When this occurs, there is intense pain in the right upper quadrant of the person. The stones can also lead to an inflammation of the pancreas.

When a gallbladder becomes infected, then there is severe pain, fever, and in many cases, nausea and vomiting.

This condition sometimes will go away on its own, but most times it will require surgery.

If a person is experiencing pain that is in the right upper quadrant of their body and is associated with fever, nausea, vomiting, then this could be their gallbladder. If a person does experience these type symptoms, they should see their family doctor for a complete evaluation.

Once the gallbladder becomes inflamed, infected, or distended, then it needs to be removed.

Today, the procedure that most surgeons use is a minimally invasive procedure. most times after the gallbladder is removed, minimally invasively, then the person can go home in a relatively short time. because the procedure is minimally invasive, many can go back to work in an extremely short period of time.

Prior to minimally invasive surgery, if a person had their gallbladder removed, they would remain in the hospital for a minimum of seven days. This is not the case today.

If a person is experiencing any type of abdominal pain that does not go away in a reasonable length of time, they should see their family doctor.

This especially holds true if a person is experiencing fever and nausea with vomiting.

Dr. Gordon J. Rafool is a specialist in Family Practice and Geriatrics at Gessler Clinic, Winter Haven.

My son is suffering from gallstones. Some times he suffer in vomitting and indisation. the local docter give him some medicine then he cure. but after that again he fall in disease. Is it occure for the gallstone?

You feel like your stomach is literally on fire! You cramp, feel like you are going to throw up. Stay away from dairy, spicy and greasy foods!! I had mine taken out 12 years ago, same day surgery, felt much better after wards! Hope your son is better soon!!!

Pain lots and lots of pain.

I had my Gall Bladder removed recently. You have the symptoms of diarrhea and side pain. I wasn't sick though. I felt excellent after having the Surgery done. I was sent home the same day. I had the Surgery where my Mom works.

My nan has them.
She has found a way to cope with them – so, she can avoid surgery, by not eating rich foods, as this used to make her vomit and made life, extremely painful for herself.

Could there be any chest pains with it? ever heard of toxins in the gall bladder?

horrible chest pains that radiate towards your back., feels like your going to die.

Gallbladder attacks usually occur after eating a large fatty meal. The pain is felt in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen (under your ribs on the right side) which is where your gallbladder is located. The pain may radiate to the right shoulder blade or back.
Avoid eating fatty foods. go to a doctor and get an ultrasound for a diagnosis of gallstones.

i suffer from gallstones, i have all the symptoms and are about to go to the doctor tomorrow,
does anyone have home remedies to get rid of "flush" the stones? and do these "recipes"really work?
any answers would be appreciated.

Sometimes these natural methods work. and, chiropractic work is valuable, so as to guarantee all systems are "up and running.

natural-cancer-cures.com/remo…

ehow.com/way_5608280_natural-…

Yes, these recipes do work! my husband and I both have done it successfully! Don't let them take your gallbladder. Flush it out and you will be fine!

Digestive Disease Week meeting, Chicago, may 7-10, 2011

Crohn’s drug penetrates placenta Pregnant women taking a drug prescribed for Crohn’s disease may pass the medication on to a newborn through the placenta, a U.S. team of researchers from California and Georgia reported may 7. The drug, adalimumab (Humira), binds to and neutralizes an inflammatory immune protein called TNF-alpha, short for tumor-necrosis factor alpha. The drug turned up during the first three months of life in the blood of three of five children born to women taking it and in umbilical cord blood from all five newborns. The study authors say the findings don’t warrant stopping the drug during pregnancy, since it limits miscarriages and preterm births. But since adalimumab suppresses immunity, newborns exposed to it should be monitored for infections and not receive live-virus vaccines for the first six months. —Nathan Seppa

High fructose linked to pregnancy gallstones a diet high in carbohydrates, particularly fructose, may increase a woman’s risk of developing gallstones during pregnancy, researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle reported may 8. Ultrasound examination of more than 3,000 women during pregnancy showed that 10 percent had developed gallstones or biliary sludge, a particulate material in bile that has been linked to gallstone formation. Questionnaires revealed that women with diets highest in carbohydrates were roughly twice as likely to have gallstones or biliary sludge as were those consuming the lowest amounts, with fructose accounting for a greater risk than starch. The researchers adjusted for differences in weight, diabetes status and other dietary intake. —Nathan Seppa

Diabetes patients not getting hepatitis shots People with chronic liver disease or type 2 diabetes have poor rates of vaccination against hepatitis a and B, even though they are at risk of developing very severe disease from these viral infections. Researchers at Inova Fairfax Hospital in Falls Church, Va., analyzed data on several thousand people with either diabetes or liver disease. among the diabetes patients, vaccination rates were only 16 and 22 percent against hepatitis a and B in data from 2005 to 2008. Vaccination rates in people with chronic liver disease reached 32 percent for hepatitis B but only 20 percent against hepatitis a. The percentages are similar to those seen in the general population.  most chronic liver disease is due to fatty liver disease not related to alcohol. —Nathan Seppa

Very early obesity therapy works Obese children as young as age 2 benefit from therapy to reduce weight and improve fitness, researchers at Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis reported may 8. The scientists recruited 462 obese children ages 2 to 21, including 44 who were age 2 to 5. All the children and family members received intensive therapy on behavioral techniques such as goal-setting, self-monitoring, positive reinforcement and stimulus control. Children at all ages showed weight loss and better fitness, but the youngest children exceeded the older kids. both groups showed metabolic improvements. Current guidelines suggest such therapy for kids age 6 to 18. The researchers suggest starting at age 2. —Nathan Seppa

Endurance athletes face GI problems College athletes engaged in swimming, crew and lacrosse have more gastrointestinal problems than do athletes playing less grueling sports, researchers at Drexel University in Philadelphia have found. The scientists obtained questionnaire data on health and lifestyle from 107 Division I college athletes and 108 non-athletes. The non-athletes were more prone to irritable bowel syndrome; otherwise there was no difference between the groups in digestive function. But 52 percent of athletes participating in one of the three high-intensity sports reported at least one gastrointestinal disorder, compared with 34 percent of college athletes in lower-intensity sports. Athletes in tennis and diving were among those with the fewest symptoms, the researchers found. —Nathan Seppa

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Found in: Body & Brain

Stones commonly form in the gallbladder.  Many people have stones in their gallbladder and never experience symptoms.  other people can experience occasional pain, especially after they eat fatty meals.  Sometimes, however, patients can experience more severe complications such as acute inflammation of the gallbladder, obstructed bile duct, and even pancreatitis.   Gallstones are usually diagnosed with ultrasound.  Sometimes a cat scan will show gallstones but this test is not as good.  Your doctor may suspect gallstones based on your symptoms.  he may send you for further testing based on his findings.

Gallstones can cause pain.  In many cases this will be called colic, or pain that goes away with time.  at times, the gallbladder opening can become blocked.  this will cause the gallbladder to become inflamed.  this is a painful and potentially dangerous condition.  The pain will usually not go away on its own.  You may develop fever, and abnormal blood lab tests.  this condition is called acute cholecystitis and is most frequently diagnosed with ultrasound.  Ultrasound will show a thickened wall, fluid around the gallbladder, and pain over the site of the gallbladder.

Gallstones can pass into the bile duct.  this is a tube that runs from the liver and gallbladder to the intestine.  Bile helps with digestion, and in response to a meal, bile will be released.  Sometimes, the stone will pass into this tube and cause an obstruction to flow of bile.  this will cause pain, nausea, and jaundice at times.  Blood lab tests will also be abnormal.  An ultrasound will show a dilated bile duct, and sometimes the actual stone which has passed.  There are more advanced tests such as an MRCP or ERCP which are used for more definitive diagnosis.

Gallstones can also cause pancreatitis, since the bile duct passes in close proximity to the pancreas.  a stone lodged in this region can contribute to pancreatitis.  In these cases, you will often have severe pain in your abdomen.  Your blood lab work will also be abnormal.  It is important to have your gallstones diagnosed promptly as your symptoms may be the result.  Gallstones can potentially be dangerous and you may have to see a surgeon for possible gallbladder removal.  Talk to your doctor about the options.

I had routine blood work done last monday and was told I had high liver function so went in for an ultrasound. the ultrasound showed my gall bladder was full of gallstones. I have had occasional indigestion at night but other than that I haven't experienced any other symptoms. Since I have not had any real symptoms, will I have to have my gall bladder removed any time soon?

Terrific pain, with nausea and sickness.

Pain in right upper quandrant that radiates to the back. Nausea and sickness, pain that feels like you could be having a heart attack, it's not it's something called biliary colic and it is horrendous.

There are lots of symptoms and some people get all of them others get some. I am two weeks post op having had my gallbladder removed and the relief is immense.

I don't wish symptomatic gallbladder disease on anyone and so if you do think you may have gallstones please go and see your Dr asap. I had gallstone induced pancreatitis in December that put me in hospital, I then had cholecystitis (gallbladder infection) in January and was in hospital for a further 8 days. I couldn't wait to get my gallbladder removed and would have the same operation 1000 times rather than go through the pain and suffering I did.

See your GP and go from there

Mine come with occasional heartburn, but most often it hits me when I'm laying down, out of the blue I start feeling real nauseated, it usually only lasts for a minute or two then it's gone. It's not so much painful as it is uncomfortable, the feeling of sickness, nausea, blah!

Every time you eat anything fatty you will get a severe pain in your back. you will probably feel sick as well. if you have these symptoms please consult your doctor asap.

Pain located in the upper right quadrant that is usually associated with right shoulder pain. It usually worsens following meals, especially those containing high amounts of fats (fried foods, cheeses etc.) Antacids usually do not lessen the pain. Nausea and vomiting are common

yes terrific pain in stomach and nausea

Ok I had gallstones and I had key holes surgery to remove the gallbladder.

The gallbladder is situated just below the liver on the right side of your body just under the ribs. the pain of gallbladder trouble comes on in spasms and is very severe and colicky because a stone oftens gets trapped in the bile duct. It becomes so severe you are double and bent over with pain. you will also be very sick and nauseated. my gallbladder was so full of stones it was ready to burst. you will also feel very tender and sore below your ribs.

I had my gallbladder out when I was 21 years old. Ugh, the attacks were horrible!!

I started noticing that whenever I ate something really greasy or spicy I would get this horrible pain under the right side of my ribcage. It didn't happen immediately, but about 2 to 12 hours later. It would last for a day, and nothing I did would make the pain lessen.

This happened the first time after I ate pizza when I was about 5 months pregnant. I got this pain, and it was so bad that I threw up. I didn't think anything about it at the time, thought the baby didn't like Pizza Hut.

The next time it happened, my son was about 18 months old. I had eaten a chicken burrito from Taco Bell. It was so bad this time (and I had just graduated from college in nursing) that I knew what it was and had my friend take me to the emergency room. I had pain under my rib cage across my entire belly, down the right side of my chest from my shoulder to the end of my rib cage, and down both sides of my back.

The doctor in the ER knew what I was having, and gave me pain medication. They did an ultrasound of my gallbladder, and, sure enough, there were the stones.

I had my gallbladder removed in 1995 and it's a wonderful life.

Gallbladder attacks can be in many varying degrees, don't think that you don't have them because you only have a little heartburn. keep track of what you ate before the attack. Write it down. Take it to the doctor with you and let them be the judge.

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