Gall bladder conditions refer to any condition that affects the gall bladder. The gall bladder is a small sac, attached to the liver which holds bile. Bile is the digestive fluid produced by the liver which is used to break down dietary fats. A range of gall bladder conditions can occur, however the most commonly known is gallstones.
Gallstones are solid stones formed in the gall bladder from a combination of bile salts, cholesterol and calcium. Stones develop through either insufficient emptying of the gallbladder or due to excess cholesterol in the bile crystallizing. Gallstones can vary in size from a few millimetres to a few centimetres and vary in the number present.
The gall bladder is not a vital organ and so if gallstones or any other type of gall bladder condition is causing problems then people may have surgery to remove the gallbladder.
Symptoms and characteristics:
The signs and symptoms for gall bladder conditions vary considerably, the more typical include:
- abdominal pain
- nausea and vomiting
- anorexia
- jaundice
- abnormal enlargement of the liver (hepatomegaly)
- enlarged gallbladder.
Workplace adjustments and solutions:
Sick leave arrangements may be required to allow for surgical removal of the gallbladder and recovery. Depending on the type of gallbladder removal surgery, recovery periods vary and it is initially recommended when returning to work that no heavy lifting or strenuous work is undertaken until medically authorised.
There are solutions and adjustments for the following job requirements:
References:
Better Health Channel 2007, Gall bladder removal, State Government of Victoria, Melbourne, viewed 9 January 2009, <http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/Gall_bladder_removal?open>.
NetDoctor.co.uk 2007, Gallbladder disease, NetDoctor.co.uk, London, viewed 9 January 2009, <http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/diseases/facts/gallbladderdisease.htm>.
WD 2008, Symptoms of Gall bladder conditions, Health Grades Inc., online, viewed 9 January 2009, < http://www.wrongdiagnosis.com/g/gallblad/symptoms.htm>.