A person got his gall bladder surgically removed as he had gall stones. How will this affect his digestion? What kind of food should he refrain from eating?

Answer: The gall bladder plays a crucial role in food digestion, hence, it is a vital part of the digestive system.

The gall bladder functions by storing and concentrating bile which is produced by the liver.

The bile which is produced by the liver and stored in the gall bladder, is yellowish brown in color.

Bile functions in two distinct ways,

Firstly it emulsifies fats and breaks it down to fatty acids, a form that is usable by the body.

Secondly, it neutralizes the acid in the small intestines and creates an alkaline environment needed by the enzymes in the small intestine to function effectively.

When the gallbladder is diseased either as a result of inflammation, trauma, cancer or any other disease affecting the gall bladder, removal becomes an option and when it is removed, bile can no longer be stored, therefore, the individual will have difficulty in digesting fats and some of the bile from the liver can make their way to the large intestine causing diarrhoea and abdominal pain.

There will be jaundice when the bile makes it way to the blood stream and also fever and intestinal injury.

An individual that has his/her gall bladder removed should restrain from foods that are high in fats, fried foods, creamy foods and foods high in butter.