Patient information sheets prepared by Dr. Gautham Krishnamurthy — Surgical Gastroenterologist, Apollo Hospital, Chennai
Gallstones are hardened deposits that form inside the gallbladder — a small, pear-shaped organ beneath the liver that stores bile. When bile becomes too concentrated with cholesterol or bilirubin, crystals form and grow into stones.
Gallstones develop when the chemical balance of bile is disrupted. Risk factors include:
Many gallstones cause no symptoms (silent stones). When symptoms occur:
Untreated symptomatic gallstones can lead to serious, life-threatening complications:
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (keyhole removal of the gallbladder) is the gold-standard treatment for symptomatic gallstones.
The procedure is performed under general anaesthesia through 3–4 small incisions (0.5–1 cm). The gallbladder is clipped and removed entirely. Bile continues to flow directly from the liver into the small intestine without any functional impairment.
Note: Medication (bile acid tablets) can dissolve small cholesterol stones, but recurrence is high and this is rarely used today.
In hospital: Most patients go home the next day. Pain is managed with oral tablets.
At home (first 2 weeks):
Long-term: No major dietary restrictions after 6–8 weeks. The body adapts and bile flows continuously into the intestine. Most patients live completely normally without a gallbladder.
A hernia occurs when an internal organ — usually a loop of intestine — pushes through a weak spot or opening in the surrounding muscle or tissue wall. The most common type is an inguinal (groin) hernia, though hernias can occur at the navel, previous surgical incisions, or other sites.
Hernias result from a combination of muscle weakness and strain:
⚠ Emergency signs: Sudden severe pain, non-reducible hard lump, nausea/vomiting, fever — these suggest strangulation; seek emergency care immediately.
Hernias do not resolve on their own and will enlarge over time. Serious complications include:
Surgery is the only definitive treatment for hernia. The two main approaches are:
1. Laparoscopic Repair (TEP / TAPP) — preferred for inguinal hernias
2. Open Repair (Lichtenstein mesh hernioplasty) — used for very large hernias, strangulation, or where laparoscopy is not suitable
Robotic-assisted hernia repair is available for complex recurrent or bilateral hernias.
In hospital: 1 night stay; discharged on oral analgesia.
First 2 weeks at home:
Long-term: Mesh integrates with tissue within 6 weeks. Avoid extreme heavy lifting permanently; otherwise, normal life resumes fully.
An anal fissure is a small tear or cut in the lining of the anal canal — the short muscular tube that connects the rectum to the anus. It typically causes intense pain during and after passing stools, along with a small amount of bright red bleeding.
Acute (recent) fissures — conservative management:
Chronic fissures — surgical:
Lateral Internal Sphincterotomy (LIS) — A tiny, precise cut is made in the lower part of the internal sphincter muscle. This relieves the spasm, restores blood flow, and allows the fissure to heal. Cure rate >95%. Day-care procedure under short anaesthesia.
Hemorrhoids are swollen, enlarged vascular cushions (bundles of blood vessels and connective tissue) inside and around the anal canal. They are one of the most common conditions in surgical practice — virtually everyone has hemorrhoidal tissue; the problem arises when they become enlarged, symptomatic or prolapse.
By location:
Internal hemorrhoid grading (Goligher's classification):
Internal hemorrhoids:
External hemorrhoids:
Grade I–II: Non-surgical / Office procedures
Grade III–IV: Surgical options
MIPH (stapled): Hospital stay 1 night; return to work in 3–5 days; significantly less pain than conventional surgery.
Conventional hemorrhoidectomy: Hospital stay 1–2 nights; recovery 10–14 days.
Post-operative care (both):
An anal fistula is an abnormal tunnel that runs from inside the anal canal through the sphincter muscles to the skin surface around the anus. It almost always develops as a result of a previous perianal abscess (a pocket of pus). The abscess drains spontaneously or is surgically drained, but a persistent tract (fistula) remains.
Primary cause — Cryptoglandular origin: Small anal glands (crypts of Morgagni) in the anal canal can become blocked and infected, forming an abscess. When this abscess bursts or is drained, the infected track can persist as a fistula.
Other causes:
Fistulae are classified by their relationship to the sphincter muscles (Parks' classification):
Simple fistula: Single track, low-lying, no complications
Complex fistula: Multiple tracts, high (involves significant sphincter), associated with Crohn's or previous failed repair
Surgery is the only cure for anal fistula. The goal is to eliminate the fistula track while preserving sphincter function (continence).
Simple fistulae (intersphincteric / low transsphincteric):
Complex / high fistulae — sphincter-preserving procedures:
Hospital stay: Most procedures are day-care or 1 night; complex fistulae may need 1–2 nights.
Wound care:
Diet and bowel care:
Activity:
Follow-up: Fistula healing may take 4–12 weeks; regular review needed to check healing progress.
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Dr. Gautham Krishnamurthy · Surgical Gastroenterologist