Yaz Gallbladder Disease: Treatment Through Gallbladder Removal Surgery

More women have been coming forward after suffering gallbladder removal side effects and have inquired about the legal option of filing a gallbladder Yaz lawsuit. Gallbladder disease is a catchall reference that includes gallstones, infection, and inflammation of the organ. Stones are present in nearly all cases, though they can be found in different areas along your biliary tract (the route bile flows from your liver to your small intestine).

When symptoms present, they can include severe abdominal pain, fatigue, nausea and vomiting, and a loss of appetite. In severe cases, you might experience a fever accompanied by chills and uncontrollable shaking.

The most common form of treatment for Yaz gallbladder problems is to surgically remove the organ. The procedure is called cholecystectomy. Below, you’ll learn how the operation is performed as well as potential complications that can result. I’ll also explain an additional procedure called ERCP that is often necessary.

How Cholecystectomy Is Performed

Gallbladder removal surgery can be performed through an open abdominal operation or with a less invasive, laparoscopic approach. During open cholecystectomy, a surgeon makes a long incision (up to 8 inches) into your abdomen. After cutting through the abdominal muscles, the gallbladder’s connections to the surrounding structures are severed. Then, the organ is removed through the incision.

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy uses several smaller incisions rather than a single long one. Before making them, your doctor will insert a needle through your navel and fill your abdominal cavity with carbon dioxide. Doing so expands the cavity and provides extra room in which the surgeon can work.

Three or four small incisions (usually a half-inch or less) are made into your abdomen. A flexible instrument called a laparoscope is inserted through one of them. The laparoscope is equipped with a tiny camera that sends real-time images back to a video monitor. The surgeon will insert additional surgical instruments and use them to sever your gallbladder’s connections and extract the organ.

Most cholecystectomies today are done through laparoscopy. The recovery period is shorter, there’s less scarring, and less postoperative pain. Unfortunately, laparoscopy is not always possible, as in cases where infection or scarring is present. Moreover, your surgeon may begin with a laparoscopic approach and be forced to convert to open surgery due to unexpected problems (e.g. your gallbladder’s wall is too thick).

Potential Complications Of Gallbladder Removal Surgery

Yaz gallbladder disease that requires removal of the organ places you at risk of common bile duct damage. This can occur with both open abdominal surgery and laparoscopy.

During the operation, a surgeon may inadvertently tear your common bile duct. This allows bile to leak into your abdominal cavity, causing infection. If the leak is not resolved, infection can eventually enter your bloodstream and spread throughout your body. At that point, it becomes potentially life-threatening.

Another possible complication is that the surgeon might miss Yaz gallstones that have migrated from your gallbladder into the common bile duct. If a bile duct tear occurs, the stones can spill into your abdominal cavity. This too, sets the stage for infection.

When ERCP Is Necessary

Stones that are present in your common bile duct cannot be resolved with gallbladder removal surgery. A procedure known as endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is required to retrieve the stones.

During ERCP, an endoscope is inserted into your mouth and guided through your esophagus, stomach, and small intestine. When it arrives at your common bile duct, the surgeon will thread a catheter through the endoscope and release a radiopaque dye. The dye shows obstructions on X-rays. Once the surgeon has identified the location of the stones, another instrument is guided through the endoscope to the bile duct in order to retrieve them.

Otherwise healthy women have suffered gallstones and gallbladder disease after taking Yaz birth control pills. In cases where symptoms present, the organ is nearly always surgically removed. If you have suffered gallbladder problems after using this oral contraceptive, contact an experienced birth control lawyer. You may have the right to file a Yaz gallbladder lawsuit.