I recently knew someone who had the same experience. She went in for an ERCP to evaluate her back pain, constricted bile duct and gallstones. soon (1-2 hours) after the ercp she developed severe pain and was admitted to the ICU; it should have been a routine test with d/c 1 hour after. she deveoped pancreatitis. Quickly things got worse, her blood pressure dropped which forced them to give her huge amounts of fluids and blood pressure meds. This fluid wouldn't stay in her veins and she got extremely edematous. She was intubated because of pleural effusions, and eventually even the fluid and meds wouldn't keep her alive. she died three days after having the ercp.
Did you ever find any answers to why this happened to your mom? We have found that pancreatitis can happen after ercp but that fatal pancreatitis is very uncommon....I have only heard of your case and a few others in which the patient had HIV, or alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency. Pancreatitis can be fatal but it is apparently very rare, and even more rare to have fatal pancreatitis after ercp.
Hope you dont mind me sending you a message. My mother went into hosiptal on the 16th march 2004 for a ercp. We were told that the proceedure went ok.
The morning that I went to pick my mother up from hospital, 8:30am. I was shocked at what I saw. My mother was sat in a chair doubled over in agony. She was screaming in pain, as I approached her she said that she had been in pain all night long. When I asked the nurse what was going on she just said that she has phoned the doctor and couldn’t do anything until he had arrived. I sat there with my mother, who was vomiting green bile continually and was doubled over in pain. I asked repeatedly for some help from the staff, one even gave me two tablets in a plastic cup to give to my mother. She couldn’t take them because of the vomiting. The GP who had removed the Gallstones arrived some time later about 1:30pm, he said very apologetically he had left a gallstone in because it was to big to be removed. He said that he thought it may have had blocked my mums duodenum. The doctor who explained this to me at the time, kept saying sorry for making this mistake.
We stood and watched as other patients, some much older than my mother sat and looked over. Some where shaking there head in disgust at what they saw. Some where dressed and ready to leave after having a successful procedure. Why didn’t my mother be the same!
There where complications and she had to undergo a five hour surgery. The surgeon who carried out the operation told us that when they “opened my mother up” they did not find any blockage of any sort. We went through four weeks of watching my mother in agony, different doctors and surgeons gave us different explanations as to what was wrong with my mother. They told us that my mothers pancreas was in a bad way, most of the time they just said that my mother was a very ill woman.
My mother contracted Pancreatitis and MRSA. She had to undergo other operations which we where told where to clean the wound and “flush” my mothers stomach. She went through four weeks of agony has she she tried so hard to fight of the infection. The infections eventually caused my mother to pass away.
The Coroner was asked to do a post mortem as to the cause of death. We where issued with a interim death certificate, which was blank as to the cause of death. Then informed that an inquest will be held.
On May 19th of this year the coroners office phoned and informed us that my mothers died with naturel causes. They said "multiple organ failure caused by sepsis due to obstruction in the bile duct due to stones which they had to operate on". We find this unbelievable. she only went in for what we believed to be a minor procedure to locate the gallstones.
All through the time me mother was in hospital the doctors told us that my mother had no blockage or abscess. The surgeon said that when he “opened my mother up, it was like a can of worms, and the pancreas was a mess”. There was no mention of gallstones, we asked was there a blockage and he said defiantly no. When we where told from the coroner that my mum died as a result from a blockage in her bile duct caused by the gall stone removal we where shocked. They said that my mother had to have the wound in her stomach left open so that infection could escape. Because of the surgery or the other procedures my mother contracted pancreatitis, sepsis, and MRSA. All here vital organs could not cope and they gave her a less than 10% chance of survival.
We as a family believe that if the GP had firstly diagnosed her correctly, or had decided to remove the left in gallstone there would not of been a blockage and she would of still been here now. She also would not of been left for a period of twenty four hours in agony, she should of been monitored, and something corrected well before the blockage occurred. We also believe that she would not have had further surgery or contract further infections such as the MRSA virus. Why didn’t the GP who carried out the first procedure to locate the gallstones, try to remove one that was obviously to large. Why didn’t he there and then ask for further surgery to remove the large gallstones. He must of knew then that left in would of caused further complications. We believe that negligence occurred to my mother. Knowing how frail my mother was or looking at my mothers records the hospital could of tried alternative treatments.
She, and us as a family went through four weeks of hell, it was like a roller coaster of emotions.
We as a family have no idea what to expect, or what questions will be put to us. Or what really caused my mothers death. We are sure though that something went wrong somewhere. One thing I am sure about is that my mother did not die of naturel causes. If my mothers condition had been monitored or some of proceedure carried out earlier she might of been still here or had a better chance.
with thanks
Stephen Wilkinson
Subject: Gallbladder Removal Side Effects
Topic Area: Gallbladders
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Question Posted By: Molly on Wednesday, July 29, 1998
I had my gallbladder removed last year due to gallstones. Since that time I have had diarrhea on a somewhat regular basis as well as occasional nausea. Most recently I have started having some chest pain / palpitations and shortness of breath. Admittedly, I do not eat as well (or probably as often) as I should due to the nausea. In reading up on the matter, it is looking as though I should increase my fiber intake, decrease the milk,cut out the red meat, take a multi vitamin and vitamin E, and chammomielle tea supposedly helps along with increased water to dilute the bile. Is this accurate? I am only 23 and would like to get things back on track here so any help is appreciated.
Dear Molly,
Diarrhea that is related to gallbladder removal is called post-cholycystectomy diarrhea. It is thought to occur secondary to bile
acids being dumped into the large intestine. These bile acids cause the secretion of water and electrolytes into the intestine. Many
patients find relief with a bile acid resin binder such as cholestyramine (Questran or Prevalite). It is available by prescription only
and comes in the form of a powder. The dose is to start slowly with one packet (4g) once daily and increase the dose up to 3-4
packets per day. One should use the lowest dose necessary to control the diarrhea. Usual side effects include nausea and
bloating. Cholestyramine can also interfere with the absorption of other medications and some vitamins.If the other measures work for you, I would continue those as well. I hope you find this
information helpful.
It may be that your symptoms of chest pain, palpitations and difficulty breathing are not directly related to your gallbladder surgery.
I was diagnosed with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia a few years before my gallbladder problems occured. This neurological disorder and others like it (CFS, FMS, orthostatic hypotension) can cause the symptoms you mentioned.
I was told by one of my doctors that having postural orthostatic tachycardia has likely been the source of my digestive tract problems (IBS and reflux, diahrea and painful bowel spams), because my nervous system is not performing properly, so my organs are suffering.
Yours came afterwards, so maybe that is not your situation. But it would be worth going to a neurologist or cardiologist if you are still having those other problems. Don't wait till it gets critical, because it takes months to get a disagnosis for a neurological disorder of this type.
Subject: Gallstones in my liver ducts
Topic Area: Gallstones
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Question Posted By: Sally on Wednesday, November 11, 1998
I recently (4 weeks ago) had my gallbladder removed due to it being filled with gallstones. I had been having pain for 2 years, but I had been told that I had everything from gastritis to just stress. My surgeon was going to do the surgery by lapriscope, but upon going in, found that my gallbladder was not where it was supposed to be, it was behind my liver and not below it, and they then had to perform the surgery in the "old fashioned" way.
My surgeon had also discovered that due to the unusual placement of my gallbladder, that I now also have gallstones backed up into the ducts in my liver! They left the t-tube in place as to try to find some way to remove the stones without what my surgeon said would be reconstructive microsurgery. He has spoken to many physicians, who all say my case is very interesting, but no one knows what to do or how to get the stones out of my live.
I now sit here with the t-tube still in place and wait daily for a call from my doctor hoping he has found someone who had seen this happen before and may know what to do. I am from Michigan originally and know that Henry Ford Hospital has a very good reputation and hope that perhaps someone may be able to give assistance to my and my surgeon. I thank you in advance.
How are you doing today after the gallblader removal? My dad had his gallblader
removed 1 week ago. He is vomitting and the doctor stopped feeding him today.
He had an inflamed gallblader (2 time bigger the normal size gallblader ) with
gallstone inside. Do you think the vomitting will stop? More problem down the
road for him diarrhea?
I am a 19 year old female. I recently had a baby. My gall stones started giving me problems when my baby wa about 2 weeks old. I would vomit every night because i had a gall bladder attack every night. My doctor put my case off till it was too late and i got pancreatitis from stones leaving the ducts. I was in the hospital for a solid week without anything to eat or drink. it was 3 weeks after that before my body was healed enough to have my gall blader removed. I definately can simpathise with this case because i have been through it... i didnt understand whether or not your father has had his gall blader removed or not? stomach problems have started... and it is tough.. but it does not compare to the pain i was in... My first surgion was awful but now i have a new one Dr Dian Winters... she is a wonderful person and doctor.
IT WILL GET BETTER!!!!!!!!!!! An understanding
person,
Mandi
Question Regarding: Gallstones lost during surgery?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Viewers Question
My ultrasound showed hundreds of small gallstones, one week later when my gallbladder was removed the pathology report showed a diseased gallbladder but no stones. Could they have been lost during laproscopic surgery?
It is possible for gallstones to be lost when the gallbladder ruptures at the time of surgery. Sometimes the bile is emptied from the gallbladder by the surgeon or pathologist after the gallbladder is removed. Though it is unlikely that hundreds of gallstones would have been overlooked, it is possible that the surgeon or pathologist omitted mention of the stones in their reports. Your surgeon should be able to tell you if rupture occurred or explain why no gallstones were found.
Please remember, information can be subject to interpretation and can become obsolete. Therefore, information should never be a substitute for an open and trusting doctor-patient relationship. Always consult your doctor.
I had my gall bladder removed 6 years ago. I have had nothing but problems since..in fact i almost died with the surgery.
I had ALOT of testing since. My internist did upper GI, CT scan, ultrasound. Never would give me the results. I got the run around from the doctors. I got mad and took all my films to my other doctor. He said..."your gall bladder is STILL there with a drain, it was never removed." He wrote a letter to the medical board reporting the 4 other doctors involved. More tests proved that my gall bladder was still there.
I was just sent for another CT scan and now all the sudden, my doctor who claimed my gallbladder was there, who wrote to the medical board, claims he was wrong, that its a tumor...I smell somthing fishy! Why would a doctor accuse 4 other doctors of malpratice, then 2 months later renig on what He found. Wouldn't a normal person make sure they were right? Who can i totaly trust without thinking that there is some kind of "under the table cover up going on"?
What do you think?
GEL
To: gallstones@yahoogroups.com
From: "echies7"
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 03:37:48 -0000
Subject: [gallstones] pain after gallbladder removed (6months ago)
I had an attack two days ago that was exactly like the attacks I had
before the surgery. How can I have gallbladder attacks with no
gallbladder? What is it? If anyone has any help so it won't happen
again I would really appreciate it. I've done 4 flushes, I'm 5
months pregnant and will do one while pregnant if it will help.
Thanks, Heidi
===================
To: "Gallstones"
From: "Dale Williams"
Date: Mon, 25 Mar 2002 20:57:31 -0800
Subject: Re: [gallstones] pain after gallbladder removed (6months ago)
This is not really all that uncommon of a situation for people who have had
their gallbladder removed. The removal of the gallbladder really doesn't
get to the root of the problem of which caused the gallbladder to have a
problem in the first place. It is looked upon as just a useful storage sack
for a concentrated bile of which the liver is providing. The liver is often
overlooked by most doctors as the organ from which the pain that individuals
are
experiencing is coming during a gallbladder attack. They see it as
convenient to remove it but, then too, some people, really,,,,,, suffer
after a removal of the gallbladder;
http://www.integritytech.com/gall.html
My worst gallbladder attack wasn't even a gallbladder attack, but had the
same symptoms excepting I didn't have any stones according to the ultrasound
that was done! I found out my problem occurred because I wasn't getting
enough of the right Essential Fatty Acids for my liver's good health. I had
stopped eating all foods containing any fat and this in turn caused my liver
to be damaged by that failure. The reason I avoided taking in fats is
because I was trying to keep from having another gallbladder attack. Go
figure! I felt like it was dammed if you do and dammed if you don't!
I found out after reading Dr. Cabot's "The Liver Cleansing Diet" that the
best thing you can do for your liver, which could be fatty, and the
problem you're feeling could be because of that or bile stones in the liver,
is to feed it correctly. When the liver is fed the right foods it will start
working the way it's suppose to do and will help it clear out the fats from
the body and from the liver too, if it is also fatty.
It is very important to also realize that with the gallbladder removed that
the liver must be given greater care and consideration. A lot of people can
have the gallbladder removed and not really have to care for it as much as
some others. However, for those who's digestive system has been compromised
by the loss of this important organ it becomes necessary to understand what
foods are going to help the liver deal with what it does in producing around
a quart or two of bile. This bile needs to have someplace to go because it
appears that it doesn't stop flowing in some without the regulating capacity
of the gallbladder telling it to stop for a time. It appears that it just
keeps dripping out bile because there is no signal telling the liver to stop
producing it.
The end result for a lot of people is that they tend to suffer with diarrhea
and other intestinal pain. The best way to deal with this is to make sure
that food that is high in fiber is eaten throughout the day and not just
the normal three times a day that we've become accustom. It would also help
to have more essential fatty acids being obtained by quality oils, which can
be obtained from vegetables and nuts as well as the various supplements.
This gives the bile something to emulsify but being a better fat it can be
used by the liver to make a better bile to get out the other bad fats that
have been stored there.
The intake of soluble and insoluble fiber will certainly help in dealing
with the continuous flow of bile from the liver. The soluble fiber will
absorb the
bile and it can then be transported from the body much quicker.
This website has some useful information on the liver and my help you in
seeing some things to do to deal with your situation.
http://www.lifebalm.com/ailments/liver.html
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/gastro/archive/1868.html
Subject: Post Cholycystectomy Diarrhea
Topic Area: Gallbladders
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Question Posted By: Chris on Wednesday, July 29, 1998
I had a lap-choly approx 18 months ago and have been plagued with
"regular" diarrhea. Immediately after eating lunch, my intestine
spasms very uncomfortably, forcing me to find a restroom quick. I
finally went to my doctor who prescribed Questran.
Is there anything else on the market besides Questran? Will I
need this protocol forever?
Does a fat free diet really help?
Dear Chris,
Postcholycystectomy diarrhea is felt to be caused by bile acids being dumped into the colon. These bile acids stimulate water secretion causing diarrhea. It would seem logical that the most appropriate class of medication that would be helpful to control this type of diarrhea, would be a bile acid resin binder. Cholestyramine (Questran, Prevalite) is usually helpful in this regard but can have a gritty taste and cause nausea, abdominal bloating and constipation. It can also interfere with the absorption of a variety of medications and vitamins over the long term. You should be aware that there is a powder form of Questran called Questran light (for oral suspension) which is supposed to be better tolerated. Another bile acid resin binder is colestipol (Colestid). Colestipol is available as granules, flavored granules or tablets and is also only available by prescription. The granules can be mixed with breakfast cereals and juices for better compliance. These medications are usually required for prolonged periods, but if you obtain significant relief, you can titrate the medication to the lowest dose needed to control your symptoms. If you do not receive any benefit from the bile acid resin binding agents you may want to try anti-diarrheal agents such as Immodium or Lomotil to see if they are effective (after consulting your primary physician).
http://www.medhelp.org/perl6/Gastro/messages/33268.html
Post Surgery - My leg is numb
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Gallbladders
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Question Posted By: Araine on Friday, March 29, 2002
Tuesday (March 26), I had my gallblader removed, as it was diseased and full of stones.
Since then, my left leg has been numb. I can't feel it, except just a little bit. I called my surgeon, and he said it's because the belts they use to strap me to the operation table were probably too tight and pinched a nerve. This sounds kind of dumb to me though. I have no bruise or marks. Wouldn't there be some physical sign if a belt was so tight?
It is now Friday, and my leg is STILL numb. It's annoying and sometimes painful.
I know it has been a long time since you had this happen to you. I am 36 and just had the same thing happen to me. I had to spend a week in the hospital and I am in so much pain. How are you now?
Forum: The Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Forum
Topic: Gastroenterology - General
Question Posted By: eron3384 on Monday, April 01, 2002
my grand father had his gallbladder removed. there is a tear in the bile duct now that is leaking out a lot of bile. He has now because of this lost a third of his liver function. he has a tube inserted to let the bile drain out and the bile is black. The doctors say they dont know what to do other than wait for it to heal on its own. The doctors are not giving us any straight answers what is going on with him. Does he have a good shot of getting over this or are we just looking at a dieing man. Please tell me.
CHOLECYSTECTOMY/COLON CANCER
(The Lancet 2:379, August 22, 1981; The Lancet 2:381, August 22, 1981)
Two recent studies suggest that removal of the gallbladder may increase the risk of colon cancer. Cholecystectomy apparently almost doubled the risk of cancer of the right colon according to a University of Pittsburgh study.
The researchers feel that the higher concentrations of certain bile acids which reach the colon may induce the cancer.
These bile acids and their by-products induce cancer or serve as co-carcinogens in laboratory animals.
(The Lancet 2:379, August 22, 1981; The Lancet 2:381, August 22, 1981)
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SAFETY: SURGERY! Reasons needed for avoiding gallbladder removal? 
