Page 17 - Dainfern Precinct Living Issue 3_2023

Health & Wellness

blood and cardiovascular system are all surgical techniques are improving the
affected by obstructive jaundice,” Dr Ally prognoses for patients with cancer in the
adds. liver, biliary tree and pancreas. Surgery
is often done in combination with
Whether caused by a gallstone or cancer, chemotherapy, however the earlier these
a blockage of the biliary tree can quickly conditions are diagnosed the better.
lead to secondary infection, potentially
causing organ failure and death within “Today, gallstones in the gallbladder
hours if it is not treated immediately. can be treated with minimally invasive
TEN RISK FACTORS FOR keyhole surgery to remove the
GALLSTONES gallbladder. However, up to one in
• Women are more prone to four patients who have gallstones in
developing gallstones, although their gallbladder will have additional
men can also be affected. stones that have formed outside of
• The risk of gallstones increases the gallbladder, requiring a different
with age, particularly from 40 treatment approach,” Dr Ally says.
onwards. Hepatobiliary surgeons, such as
• Genetic factors can predispose Dr Ally, are trained in the management of
a person to gallstones, so find complicated biliary, pancreatic and liver
out if any of your direct relatives diseases and can access the biliary tree
have had gallstones. to remove any gallstones lodged there.
• Being overweight. This is done by means of an endoscopic
• A sedentary lifestyle. retrograde cholangiopancreatography
• A diet high in fat. (ERCP) procedure.
• Frequent fasting.
“Usually, the pain abates after a few • Rapid weight loss. “In an ERCP, a long, thin tube is carefully
hours, however if the body cannot • Pregnancy. guided to the biliary tree to remove the
clear the blockage immediately, the • Diabetics are also at increased gallstones. Stents are then inserted in
obstruction within the gallbladder risk of developing gallstones. the areas where the gallstones were
prevents it from fully emptying the • removed to restore bile flow. This makes
contents of the gallbladder. This in “The probability of cancer-causing it possible for healthy biliary and organ
turn leads to stasis, infection of the obstructive jaundice through blocking function to resume,” he explains.
gallbladder, and possibly a perforation in the biliary tree or in the head of
or rupture. The person would most the pancreas increases in the elderly, Such procedures are best performed by
likely experience a persistent, severe and may start slowly and painlessly. a team including a hepatobiliary surgeon
upper abdominal pain that is worsened Unfortunately, cancers that originate in a hospital that is equipped for complex
by movement, touch or even deep in this part of the body are often only radiological investigations and advanced
breathing. detected at a more advanced stage and surgical technology.
“If the obstructing gallstone is passed therefore a suspicion of cancer should “Time is critical in treating a person with
from the gallbladder and instead blocks be investigated as soon as possible,” a blockage of the biliary tree. Knowing
the outflow of the biliary tree, this results cautions Dr Ally. the symptoms of obstructive jaundice
in obstructive jaundice. Various organ and recognising this as a medical
systems are affected and this too can be TREATMENTS AVAILABLE emergency can help to save a life,” Dr Ally
extremely serious as the kidneys, brain, Modern technology and ever advancing concludes.

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