Biliary Dyskinesia
Biliary dyskinesia is a condition that causes gallbladder pain even when you don’t have gallstones. It’s also known as acalculous cholecystitis, which simply means “gallbladder inflammation without stones.”
The main issue in biliary dyskinesia is a problem with how your gallbladder moves, also called a motility disorder. This means your gallbladder doesn’t squeeze properly to release bile, which can lead to pain and discomfort.
Symptoms
The most common symptom is a sharp pain in the upper right part of your abdomen. This pain, known as biliary colic, can also spread to your back and is often brought on by eating fatty foods. You might also feel nauseous, bloated, or have indigestion. These symptoms are very similar to those of gallstones.
Diagnosis
Diagnosing biliary dyskinesia can be a bit tricky because an ultrasound won’t show gallstones. Instead, we typically use a special imaging test called a HIDA scan (Hepatobiliary Iminodiacetic Acid scan). This scan checks how well your gallbladder is working by measuring its ejection fraction—the amount of bile it’s able to push out. If the ejection fraction is less than 35-40%, it’s a strong sign that your gallbladder isn’t functioning correctly.
Treatment: Gallbladder Removal
The most effective treatment for biliary dyskinesia is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, a procedure called a cholecystectomy. This is a very common surgery, and we usually perform it using a minimally invasive approach.
Laparoscopic or Robotic Cholecystectomy
This type of surgery is done through several small incisions. We use a camera and special instruments to carefully detach and remove the gallbladder. This procedure provides excellent, lasting relief from symptoms for most patients.
Recovery After Surgery
Recovery from a minimally invasive cholecystectomy is generally quick. Most patients can return home the same day or the next. You can usually get back to your normal routine within one to two weeks. Don’t worry, your body will adapt just fine! Your liver will continue to produce bile, and it will simply flow directly into your small intestine to help with digestion.