Do gallbladder polyps go away on their own

Gallbladder polyps are growths that protrude from the lining of the inside of the gallbladder. Although this condition might not be a common digestive disease, it is often accidentally diagnosed by abdominal ultrasound. Gallbladder polyps are mostly found in men, rather than women. Polyps can be cancerous, but they rarely are. About 70-80 percent of gallbladder polyps are benign. Annual check-ups remain crucially important. If gallbladder polyps are detected at the earlier stage, treatment can be successfully given.

Get to know “gallbladder polyps”

Gallbladder polyps are small, abnormal growths of tissue with a stalk protruding from the lining of the inside of the gallbladder. Gallbladder polyps typically do not cause any symptoms. They are usually found incidentally during performing abdominal ultrasound. The most common type is pseudopolyps, projecting masses of scar tissue typically caused by cholesterol deposits and inflammation. Psuedopolyps do not exhibit correlations with cancerous cells. True gallbladder polyps or neoplastic polyps are rarely found and can be single polyp or multiple polyps. However, they can be both benign and malignant cells. Importantly, gallbladder polyps do not produce any specific symptoms. Most cases have been discovered by abdominal ultrasound during annual health check-ups.

Treatment of gallbladder polyps

If gallbladder polyps are found without indications for surgery, close follow-up, every 6-12 months is highly advised. However, if the patients have certain indications to receive surgical treatment, immediate surgery should be performed.

Minimally invasive surgery to remove gallbladder

Compared to open surgery which open cut is required, minimally invasive surgery with laparoscopic technique helps enhancing surgical accuracy and promoting safety. During the procedure, small incisions are made instead of having a large open put required in open surgery. A small tube attached with a tiny camera (laparoscope) is inserted into one incision. Guided by this camera which internal images are displayed on the monitoring screen, the surgeon then inserts tiny surgical instruments through other incisions to safely remove gallbladder. Due to the advancements in laparoscopic instrument with 4K Ultra High Definition and Advanced 3D laparoscopic surgery, it enables surgeons to clearly visualize the surgical field in the abdominal cavity including internal organs, blood vessels and nerves. Advanced technology of laparoscopic camera with ultra high definition and resolution results in a better visualization of hidden areas that could not be previously seen. Smaller incisions cause less pain, less blood loss and reduced post-operative complications as well as a faster recovery time and a quicker return to normal activities. Nevertheless, minimally invasive surgery might not be suitable for highly complicated conditions. In such a case, open surgery might be preferably chosen. Severity, numbers of polyps and polyp invasive degree play a major role to determine appropriate surgical technique. 

Indications for surgery to remove gallbladder polyps 

• Polyps sized larger than 1 cm.
• Single large polyp with wide base 
• Polyps presented with gallstones
• Polyps caused thickening wall of gallbladder
• Polyps with rapid growths 
• Polyps that induce related symptoms 

Gallbladder polyps should not be overlooked

Since gallbladder polyps do not exhibit any noticeable symptoms, regular health check-ups with upper abdominal ultrasound largely help to detect polyps, especially in people aged over 50. Lifestyle modifications to substantially lower risks of developing gallbladder polyps might include maintaining health weight, having regular exercise, avoiding high-fat diets and consuming healthy foods especially vegetables and fruits.

Gallbladder Polyps: Diagnosis

To get a good look at the gallbladder, an ultrasound is typically performed. Gallbladder polyps will usually be seen on an ultrasound, and their size (and how potentially dangerous they might be) can then be measured.

Positron emission tomography (PET) or computed tomography (CT) scans can help evaluate the likelihood of cancerous cells in larger gallbladder polyps. These tests can both be used to monitor gallbladder polyps over time to spot any suspicious changes that could indicate gallbladder cancer.

Gallbladder Polyps: Treatment

So if it's a harmless gallbladder polyp, what do you do about it? That's a question that's the subject of much research.

The answer seems to have a lot to do with the size of the polyp and its likelihood of becoming cancerous. There are basically two options: Watch and wait, or undergo gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy). Very small polyps, those less than 1 centimeter (or less than 1.5 cm, according to some studies) may not need gallbladder removal surgery, and instead can be regularly monitored by scanning and re-evaluated for any suspicious changes that could indicate gallbladder cancer.

Polyps larger than 1 centimeter in size are more likely to become cancerous, especially those that are 1.5 centimeter across and larger — they have a 46 to 70 percent chance of containing cancer cells.

Monitoring for gallbladder polyps less than 1.5 centimeter should occur every three to six months for up to two years, after which it can be stopped if there have been no changes in the polyps. It isn't recommended that gallbladder polyps smaller than 0.5 centimeter across be treated by having the gallbladder removed. In gallbladder polyps that are that small, the risk of gallbladder cancer is extremely rare.

Gallbladder polyps that appear cancerous can be treated by surgical removal of the gallbladder. For larger gallbladder polyps, cholecystectomy may also be recommended to prevent the development of gallbladder cancer.

Deciding how to treat gallbladder polyps requires using thoughtful balance — weighing the potential risks of surgery against the potential risks of the development of gallbladder cancer. Paying attention to the overall cancer risk and considering careful monitoring of gallbladder polyps can be an effective treatment strategy to preserve your health.

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