What causes the liver pain that some people experience after gallbladder removal? Is it treatable?
After cholecystectomy, the patient might experience liver pain; in the article that follows, we'll learn more about the nature and causes of this pain.
Liver pain after cholecystectomy
One of the symptoms of post-cholecystectomy syndrome, which results in the emergence of numerous symptoms that are typically mild and transient, is liver pain after gallbladder removal.
The pain that develops in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen, that is, close to the liver, is one of the symptoms of post-cholecystectomy syndrome, which produces symptoms similar to those of cholecystitis after undergoing the procedure.
Liver pain after cholecystectomy: causes
Following cholecystectomy, post-cholecystectomy syndrome, which is caused by a number of liver diseases, such as:
- Fatty infiltration of liver.
- Hepatitis.
- Hydrohepatosis.
- Cirrhosis.
- Jaundice.
- Gilbert 's disease.
- Dubin-Johnson syndrome.
- Liver stones (Hepatolithiasis).
- Sclerosing cholangitis.
- Liver cysts.
Liver pain after cholecystectomy: symptoms
Other signs and symptoms of postcholecystectomy syndrome that may accompany pain in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen include:
- Inability to tolerate fatty foods.
- Feeling nauseous and vomiting.
- heartburn _
- Flatulence.
- Indigestion.
- diarrhea.
Liver pain after cholecystectomy: the diagnosis
Following gallbladder removal, there are numerous techniques that can be used to diagnose liver pain, and we list a few of them here:
1. Blood tests
A blood sample can be used for a number of tests to assist in the diagnosis of liver pain following gallbladder removal, such as:
- Complete blood count.
- Basic metabolic panel.
- Hepatic function.
- Prothrombin time.
- Blood gas analysis.
- Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase.
- Thyroid function.
2. Diagnostic imaging
Some diagnostic images are resorted to to find out the cause of liver pain, and among these images we mention:
- Abdominal ultrasound.
- Computed tomography .
- Hepatobiliary iminodiacetic acid scan.
3. Endoscopy
It is possible to resort to different methods of endoscopy to diagnose liver pain after removal of the gallbladder, and among the methods of endoscopy, we mention:
- Endoscopic ultrasonography.
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy.
Liver pain after cholecystectomy: treatment
Although liver pain following gallbladder removal is frequently a transient condition that resolves on its own in a matter of months or less, the persistence of pain or the presence of liver disease may necessitate the need for treatment, which is accomplished through medication or surgery, as follows:
1. Medications
Following gallbladder removal, it is possible to use some medications that help treat liver pain. Among these medications, we list:
- Antispasmodics, such as Scopolamine .
- Sedatives, such as: Phenobarbital.
- Histamine 2 receptor blockers, such as nizatidine.
2. Surgery
As the sphincterotomy is performed endoscopically (Endoscopic sphincterotomy), surgery may be necessary in the event that Oddi's sphincter function is impaired, particularly if the impairment is brought on by papillary stenosis.