Re: Pancreatitis and Biliary Disease - Karyn

[Guest guest]

Hi Karyn,

I read your story about the relationship of your gallbladder

surgery and pancreatitis with interest. I am wondering if your

surgeon or doctor ever suggested or admitted that your

gallbladder was ultimately responsible for your chronic

pancreatitis or if he / they believed that the gallbladder was just a

coincidence or even not involved at all (?)

I hear conflicting opinion about this whole relationship...that is,

that the gallbladder disease is just a coincidence and that the

pancreas disease was there all along independent of the

gallbladder and once the gb was removed, the pancreas

symptoms became unmasked or that the more dedicated doctor

followed up on the reason why the symptoms never abated.

I hear other claims that laparoscopic cholecystectomies actually

increase the incidence of pancreas problems because of the

damage to nerves and the common bile duct due to the

decreased visibility and / or operating field maneuvering room.

I also hear hypotheses that having a diseased gallbladder alone

predisposes one to pancreas problems. and on and on......

In my case, it is thought that my gall bladder disease was just a

coincidence and that I never needed to have it removed and that

this surgery may have caused the problems that I now have.....I

am not convinced of this personally but am still interested in how

other surgeons and physicians approach this controversy.

Laurie