Underestimated danger in the belly

Since the middle of February, Niklaus Stauss has no gall bladder any more. Ten years ago, were found in 82-Year-old gallstones. "I always had pain again, belly

Underestimated danger in the belly

Since the middle of February, Niklaus Stauss has no gall bladder any more. Ten years ago, were found in 82-Year-old gallstones. "I always had pain again, belly," he says. "But then I took a pill, and the pain went away."

Two days before Christmas, the former photographer suffered an unusually violent pain attack and ends up in the hospital for A gall stone stuck in the bile duct. The Doctors remove it endoscopically via the mouth is called the digestive tract, and want to keep the patients in the hospital to remove the gallbladder. "I was me but unsure whether I should also make. The pain was gone, and also, I wanted to celebrate with my family Christmas," says Stauss and moves the decision-making.

"gall stones is a benign disease, but can die."Henrik Petrowsky, visceral surgeon at the
University hospital of Zurich

He speaks with several Doctors in his circle of friends – all advise him to have the surgery. "In medicine, there is a consensus: those Who have had a biliary colic, is at risk," says Henrik Petrowsky, Deputy Director of the clinic for visceral and transplantation surgery Stauss at the University hospital Zurich and attending physician of Niklaus. "At-risk" means that the symptoms can resurface and complications threaten. "Gall stones are a benign disease, but you can die", makes Petrowsky significantly.

Not all stones pain

Up to 20 per cent of the population have gallstones. For most of you, however, are "silent", that is, the stones do not cause any symptoms and are usually discovered by chance. "In such cases, you wait," said Petrowsky. In a quarter of the people the stones, but at some point noticeable: increase shot, flatulence, bloating, food intolerances and Nausea can be stones, symptoms of gall (however, other causes are possible). Typical of a gallstone pain in the right upper abdomen that may radiate into the shoulder or the back, and usually occur when the stones Hiking.

"After a biliary colic, you should have the gall bladder removed quickly, so it also recommend the current guidelines," said Frank Lammert, President of the German society for gastroenterology, digestive and metabolic diseases.

Doctors distinguish three main complications, which are rare, but dangerous: Blocked by a stone bubble the output of the bile, it can burst, cause fire and, in the worst case. A stone in the main bile duct is tight, it can jam the bile to the liver and also cause inflammation. The stone slips deeper and is blocking the common mouth of the bile and the Pancreatic duct into the duodenum, threatening a life-threatening inflammation of the pancreas.

women are more likely to

affected "The problem of consciousness of the population is inadequate," says Lammert. Also because after a certain age, any someone know, the gall stones have caused no complaints. In fact, the risk of developing gallstones increases, with more than 40-Year-old. Women are affected more than twice as often as men. The female sex hormone Estrogen appears to be a risk factor for gall stone formation. For example, studies indicate that the additional supply of Estrogen, favor with the pill or hormone replacement therapy, the development of gallstones.

Also Obese have an increased risk, and people from "Golden families", i.e. families in which gall-stones are due to genetic causes frequently. In the Anglo-Saxon is because of the 5-F rule: forty, female, fertile, fat, family.

The majority of gallstones formed in the gallbladder, a pouch-like Organ. There, the bile, a viscous liquid produced by the liver and acts as a detergent accumulates: it dissolves the fat in the food pulp into tiny droplets so that it can be more easily digested. The composition of the bile changes, because it contains too much cholesterol, it can clump together with other components. The Size of these cholesterol stones varies from a few millimeters to several centimeters, Affected can form one or more stones.

This large stone stuck in the gall bladder of the patient. Photo: PD

surgeons remove the gallbladder through the key-hole method, in which only small incisions are needed, so patients are quickly back on his feet. "The Operation will be performed in a timely manner, the risks are small", says Petrowsky. In Switzerland, in 2016, around 13'500 gall removed bladder, in Germany, every year, around 200'000. A gallstone in the bile duct is tight, as is the case with Niklaus Stauss, this is prior to biliary surgery, bladder first, endoscopically, with a special Cup "captured" and pulled out. The gall bladder should be removed also, since it is the main source for stones.

"questions patients me usually, whether you can eat after that, still normal," says Petrowsky, "There are no restrictions, the liver produces still of bile." Only if you eat, such as Raclette or cheese fondue, is missing a lot of fat from time to time, the "extra shot" bile from the gall bladder.

No performance warranty

do not bring, However, all of the operations are unsuccessful, as a 2019 in the journal "Lancet" published a study shows that Up to 40 percent of patients after surgery continue to be complaints.

In the case of Niklaus Stauss this is fortunately not the case. He has survived the removal of the gallbladder well. "Three hours after the Operation it was like before the surgery. I can eat what I want and am back on the road a lot."

Created: 08.03.2020, 17:06 PM

Date Of Update: 09 March 2020, 01:01
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