Can I Live Without The Gallbladder?

The responsibility of the gallbladder is to concentrate bile from the liver. Without a gallbladder, there’s nowhere for bile to be collected, and as a result, your liver discharges bile straight into the small intestine. 

Is It Necessary To Have My Gallbladder Removed?

You have first to determine whether gallstones cause your abdominal pain. They typically cause pain on your upper right side or in the center of your abdomen just below the breastbone that leads to the back or right shoulder. 

What If I Decide Not To Have An Surgery?

The decision is entirely left to you whether to have an operation or not as long as you are aware of the risks of leaving gallstones untreated. Some of the risks of not treating gallstones are:

• Random attacks of gallstone pain.
• Episodes of inflammation or severe infection of the pancreas, gallbladder, or bile ducts.

I Am Not Noticing Any symptoms. Should I Have The Surgery?

We do not recommend laparoscopic gallbladder surgery for patients who do not have symptoms.

What Is The Procedure For The Surgery?

Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery is the most popular surgery done to take out the gallbladder. Our specialist inserts a lighted viewing instrument called a laparoscope and surgical tools into the patient’s belly through several small incisions; this is commonly known as keyhole surgery and has a high success rate. Most of the patients who undergo this surgery usually recover within ten days.

What Are The Risks Involved?

The risk for laparoscopic gallbladder surgery is relatively low and are listed below:

• Infection
• Bleeding
• Injury to the regular bile duct.

What precautions do I need to take after laparoscopic gallbladder surgery?

After the surgery, here are some important things to note:

• You might be able to drive again after a week or so of resting but first, make sure you can properly wear a seatbelt.
• You can get back to work after 10 to 14 days, depending on what your job entails
• You can return to a regular diet even if we advise you to stay away from certain foods before the surgery.

When you have been diagnosed with a hernia, the tissue in your body pushes through a weakened area supposed to hold it. This issue can cause a variety of symptoms, including pain, a noticeable bulge, and nausea. At our practice, we offer the most recent advancements in minimally invasive hernia repair. Our experienced team can help treat your hernia.

What Is Minimally Invasive Hernia Repair?

Minimally invasive hernia repair involves using a laparoscope, a thin, telescope-like device inserted through a tiny incision at the belly button. Here are some benefits of minimally invasive hernia repair 

• Smaller incisions which result in less pain
• Lower risk of wounds
• Decreased need for opioid pain medication 

Procedure For Minimally Invasive Hernia Repair 

Whether you have regular or minimally invasive hernia repair surgery, our specialist starts by administering anesthesia to keep you pain-free during the process. Because of this, you might have to avoid taking certain medications, foods, and beverages in advance, but our experienced team provides all instructions before the procedure. 

After being sedated, our specialist makes three incisions in your abdomen; each incision is less than one centimeter in size; this is done to insert the laparoscope and unique tools necessary to perform the procedure. Then, our specialist inflates your abdomen with carbon dioxide to give good views of the surgical area. This harmless gas helps create more space in the cavity to view all of the internal structures easily. 

After locating the hernia, our specialist repairs it. Our technique involves pushing the herniated tissue back into its initial position and strengthening all the weak areas with a surgical mesh. When our specialist is done with your hernia repair, they only require surgical tape to close your incisions. Our specialist carries out all minimally invasive hernia surgeries as outpatient procedures so that you can go home the same day. 

Contact Us Today

Do you feel you need a hernia treated, or do you want to check if you have a hernia? Get help now by booking an appointment with us now.

Gastric Bypass

Gastric bypass is performed to limit the amount of food your stomach can hold. The surgeon creates a pouch at the top end of your stomach, to which the small intestine is cut and connected. Food thus flows into the intestines without getting into the main part of the stomach, effectively reducing the amount of food you can take per sitting and, consequently, the number of calories your body absorbs.

This may be the best type of surgery if you have acid reflux as it reduces the upward pressure that pushes up stomach content into the esophagus.

Sleeve Gastrectomy

This procedure is pretty similar to gastric bypass, except for the fact that the cut portion of the stomach is removed entirely from the body. The objective is straightforward – to physically reduce the size of the stomach, so you get full without eating much. The surgery also reduces one’s urge to eat as the hormone that alerts the brain when one gets hungry is located in the section of the stomach that is cut off.

Sleeve gastrectomy heals more quickly than gastric bypass and is suitable for people who have had multiple other surgeries in the abdominal area.

Adjustable Gastric Band

In this, an inflatable balloon is placed inside a silicone ring, which is attached to the upper part of the stomach. A small tubing is attached to the balloon with one of its endings connected to a port placed under the skin in the abdomen.

Using the port, the surgeon can modulate the diameter of the opening at the top of the stomach and create a pouch where food sits for a while after a meal so the individual feels full faster.

Biliopancreactic Diversion with Duodenal Switch (BPD/DS)

The BPD/DS involves two procedures: a sleeve gastrectomy – where part of the stomach is tied into a banana-shaped pouch – followed by the surgical attachment of the small intestine to the pouch. It is known as a malabsorptive surgery as it is designed to regulate the number of calories absorbed along the gut. It makes the food storage part of the stomach much smaller and makes the food reach the small intestine faster.

Schedule Your Consultation

Weight loss surgery is the way to go if you’re looking for a quick and effective way of shed the few extra pounds. To find out if surgery is right for you, contact your weight loss specialist in El Paso TX to schedule your consultation.

Gastric Sleeve, which is also called sleeve gastrectomy, became very popular between 2010 and 2015. It became one of the fastest-growing bariatric surgery procedures at the time for many good reasons. The first and most important reason was that it helped several individuals achieve their weight loss goals for personal and physical health reasons. 

Another reason gastric sleeve has continued to grow in popularity is the fact that it is a very safe procedure. Unlike most cosmetic surgery procedures, it does not include any major complications afterward. 

Why Choose Gastric Sleeve? 

We have mentioned two of the major benefits of sleeve gastrectomy, but there is a need to highlight the other benefits. Here are some of the benefits you stand to gain when you choose this procedure:

• It takes less time than gastric bypass 
• It does not require rerouting of the intestine 
• It does not result in dumping syndrome and accompanying problems 
• There is no chance of a foreign object being left in your body 
• It doesn’t require adjustments; some follow-up appointments with your doctor is required, however 
• The majority of weight loss occurs in a year or within the first 18 months of the procedure 
• It may also reduce your hunger, helping you to maintain the weight loss you have achieved. 

Book your Appointment 

Are you considering gastric sleeve surgery and have some questions about the procedure? Schedule a one-on-one consultation with us today at El Paso Bariatric Surgery. Dr. Benjamin Clapp, your reputable El Paso gastric sleeve surgeon, will be available to speak with you and discuss your needs.

Is Reflux Surgery Right for You?

During your consultation, your reflux surgeon will determine the severity of your condition. Your doctor will explain that acid reflux occurs when the stomach acid flows backward in the esophagus causing heartburn and other symptoms. Mild reflux symptoms can be relieved by prescription drugs, diet, and healthy life changes. If acid reflux (GERD) symptoms are severe and cannot be relieved by medications and life changes, your doctor may recommend reflux surgery.

Reflux surgery focuses on repairing or replacing lower esophageal sphincter (LES). It is this valve that normally keeps acid from flowing back from the stomach. If this valve is weakened or damaged, GERD occurs.

Choosing Your Reflux Surgeon in El Paso TX

Finding the best surgeon to provide compassionate and professional care is essential when deciding to have reflux surgery. Dr. Clapp is committed to providing individualized care for each patient, as he understands that each and every client requires different needs. When you come for your consultation you can expect the following:

• Every patient is treated respectfully and with care
• You’ll be seen at your scheduled time without unnecessary waiting lines
• Dr. Clapp and his dedicated staff will explain everything in detail to ensure you fully understand all things that pertain to your treatment.
• You’ll be comfortable throughout the duration of your appointment and treatment.

If you have unbearable acid reflux, it may be time to visit your reflux specialist in El Paso TX to determine if reflux surgery is right for you. Schedule your consultation by contacting our offices today!

What to Expect

Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is done to get rid of gallbladder and gallstones through a lot of little incisions in the abdomen. The surgeon in charge of this operation enlarges your abdomen with carbon dioxide or air to view the operation area properly.

The surgeon fixes a scope that is lighted on a video camera (laparoscope) which is inserted into one incision close to the belly button. The surgeon then uses a video monitor as a guide while inserting surgical instruments into the other incisions in order to be able to remove your gallbladder.

Before the removal of the gallbladder, you might need to have a special X-ray procedure done. This procedure is called intraoperative cholangiography and it shows the inside of the bile ducts. A minimum of 2 hours of general anesthesia is needed to carry out this surgery.

After the surgery, bile flows from the liver from the main bile duct and takes into the small intestine. Because the gallbladder has been taken out, the body will not be able to be to store bile after meals. In most cases, this doesn’t affect digestion.

Schedule Your Consultation

Not everyone is a good candidate for laparoscopic surgery. No matter what information you read online, the absolute best way of finding out whether or not laparoscopic surgery is the right choice is to schedule an in-person 1-on-1 consultation with our experienced laparoscopic surgeon in El Paso today.