Re: Hopkins laser treatment?

February 13, 2003

At 19:41 12/02/03 +0000, " Amelia <tristanphotos@...> "

<tristanphotos@...> stated:

>I was just diagnosed with Gall Stones a week ago with an ultra sound. They

>said mine are quite large. My surgury has not been scheduled. As usual my

>doctor says the only cure is surgury. I live close to Hopkins that now

>does that laser surgery where they don't take the GB out but " break up " the

>stones with the laser, does anyone know about this?

Not directly, but lithotripsy is used regularly for kidney stones and

infrequently for gallstones. A medical center in Connecticut has been

doing it. I'm not sure if this treatment is approved yet.

Just know that afterwards the stone fragments must get out of the gall

bladder. One way is using Actigall and Rowacholl.

>Also I could use some encouragement with the fast, I'm not sure how it all

>works and how do I know my stones are gone, will a doctor re perform the

>Ultrasound?

I should certainly hope so.

February 13, 2003

At 19:41 12/02/03 +0000, " Amelia <tristanphotos@...> "

<tristanphotos@...> stated:

>I was just diagnosed with Gall Stones a week ago with an ultra sound. They

>said mine are quite large. My surgury has not been scheduled. As usual my

>doctor says the only cure is surgury. I live close to Hopkins that now

>does that laser surgery where they don't take the GB out but " break up " the

>stones with the laser, does anyone know about this?

Not directly, but the technique known as lithotripsy is used regularly for

breaking up kidney stones and infrequently for gallstones. A medical

center in Connecticut has been doing it.

Before you do it, you should just know that afterwards the stone fragments

must get out of the gall bladder. One way is using Actigall and Rowachol

to dissolve them.

>Also I could use some encouragement with the fast, I'm not sure how it all

>works and how do I know my stones are gone, will a doctor re perform the

>Ultrasound?

I should certainly hope so: first to see the fragments, and later to see if

they have been eliminated.

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