Biliary Anatomy

[Guest guest]

Kathleen,

You wrote, " Your pancreas is not near the gallbladder and he has to get rid

of the sludge. "

With all due respect, I would like to say that the pancreas and the

gallbladder are essentially the same organ system, called the Biliary System.

These

two organs are so close, they share the main duct, called the common bile

duct.

There are different studies out regarding the causes of chronic

pancreatitis. Most state that biliary diseases (36.7%), alcoholic (26.5%),

idiopathic

(30.2%), and other uncommon causes such as auto­immune disease, recurrent

acute pancreatitis, trauma and heredity. Among biliary diseases, the most

common cause was cholecystolithiasis, followed by bile duct stone and

cholecystitis. In acut pancreatitis biliary disease accounts for 80% of the

cases.

The surgeon said my pancreatitis was likely either present when I had

gallbladder disease or was caused by the surgery to remove my gallbladder.

Research

shows that if there is sludge or microstones in the bile duct, then it is

highly likely that this has backed up into the Ampulla of Vater which is held

tight by a small circular muscle called the Sphincter of Oddi.

Though there technically is no relationship between gallstones and

pancreatic stones, there is an uncanny high relationship of persons with

gallstones

also have pancreatic stones. It is often recommended that a person with

pancreatitis like symptoms facing gallbladder surgery go ahead and have a

workup for

pancreatitis prior to having the gallbladder removed. Then, if surgical

options are laid out to the patient, the gallbladder can be removed during the

pancreatic surgery.

Karyn E. , RN

Executive Director, PAI

Indianapolis, Indiana