Ultrasonography of the gallbladder: how to prepare for the procedure? How to properly prepare for ultrasound of the gallbladder, liver, pancreas?
Problems with the digestive system in modern man, unfortunately, are very common. This is due to the rapid pace of life, malnutrition and low physical activity. Most people complain of heartburn, abdominal pain, flatulence, heaviness, nausea( sometimes with vomiting).With such symptoms, the doctor can prescribe ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder. How to prepare for the study, usually told in a medical institution, but these rules are so simple that if you want them, it's easy to learn on your own and memorize for the future.
Why is an ultrasound of the gallbladder and abdominal organs prescribed?
Ultrasound is an informative study to evaluate the functions of many organs. It does not bring discomfort or pain, is performed quickly, and the result is ready right after the procedure. With symptoms of gastroenterological diseases, patients are often assigned ultrasound of the gallbladder. How to prepare for the study, and at what symptoms it is carried out? The main rule is to perform the procedure on an empty stomach, however in each case there are individual nuances.
Indications for this type of ultrasound in adults:
- abdominal pain on the right side;
- smack of bitterness in the mouth;
- frequent nausea or vomiting;
- coloring of the skin in yellow;
- trauma to the abdominal region;
- surgery on the gallbladder or liver.
It is important to know how to properly prepare for ultrasound of the gallbladder, so that it is as informative as possible. Children are being investigated in the same cases, as well as with prematurity, a suspicion of congenital anomalies in the development of internal organs and simply with a preventive purpose.
Ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder: how to prepare for the study?
If an ultrasound is performed in the morning, the patient needs to arrive at the medical center on an empty stomach. On the eve it is better to give preference to a light dinner without fatty and fried food. Simple water in a small amount on the day of inspection can drink. If a person is assigned several studies of digestive organs on one day( for example, fibrogastroduodenoscopy or irrigoscopy), ultrasound is performed before them. This is due to the fact that during the endoscopic procedures, air is specially injected into the human stomach and intestine for better visualization.
In addition to eating restrictions, it is advisable to refrain from smoking before research. Nicotine and other toxic components of tobacco smoke slightly narrow the bile ducts, and this can affect the results of ultrasound of the gallbladder. How to prepare for the study, if it is scheduled for the afternoon? In this case, it is enough to sustain a pause in meals for 5-6 hours.
Is nutrition important in the coming days before the study?
A person's diet for a couple of days before ultrasound can affect the reliability of the procedure, so it is better to stick to a certain diet during this period. It consists in the rejection of products that increase gas production. These include:
- beans;
- black bread;
- cabbage;
- milk and sour-milk products;
- fruit high in sugar( grapes, melon, banana);
- carbonated soft drinks;
- alcohol;
- strong black tea and coffee.
For the same purpose you need to reduce the consumption of sweets, and all drinks are better to drink without the addition of sugar. This will help the doctor to conduct ultrasound of the gallbladder as informatively as possible. How to prepare if the patient is a child? The general principles remain the same, but age features must be taken into account.
Preparation of young and middle-aged children
Young children can not always withstand the feeling of hunger, besides there is no need for ultrasound in front of them. If the age of the child is from 12 to 36 months, then it is enough for him not to eat 4 hours before the study and not to drink water in about 1 hour. Older children should refrain from snacks 6-8 hours and do not drink 60 minutes before the procedure. In the medical center, parents need to take food and some kind of drink for the child, so that after the diagnosis, they can refresh themselves.
What if the doctor has ordered a comprehensive study of the abdominal organs? How to prepare for ultrasound of the gallbladder, pancreas, liver, spleen? Similarly, to come, to withstand the necessary break in eating. Do not forget about the correction of the menu a couple of days before ultrasound. With any kind of such studies, one must take previous conclusions with oneself. This will allow the doctor to pay special attention to problem areas and track changes in the child's condition.
Ultrasonography of the gallbladder: how to prepare for an infant?
Neonatal children can not be tested on an empty stomach. Therefore, if the doctor has appointed a similar diagnostic procedure, the last meal should last for about 2 hours. If the baby is on natural feeding, this interval can be slightly reduced( by about 30 minutes), since breast milk is digested faster than the adapted mixtures.
Ultrasound with choleretic breakfast - features of procedure
In case of violations of the functional activity of the gallbladder or suspicion of this, an ultrasound with choleretic breakfast may be recommended to the patient. It allows to study in detail the activity of the organ and assess the presence of pathologies in it.
Initially, the study is performed on an empty stomach, after which the patient needs to eat a choleretic breakfast. It can be 2 yolks in raw form, drinking yogurt or a glass of sour cream. Repeated ultrasound is performed at 5, 20 and 45 minutes after ingestion. The patient may be asked to roll over on his side, back, stand up or sit down for better visualization.
Some children fidget on the couch during the study, because they are tickled by the sensor of the device. Usually this does not stop the doctor from considering everything, because it is important not to lie quietly during the procedure, how to prepare for ultrasound of the liver, gall bladder, pancreas, so that there is not too much air in the abdominal cavity. In the case of children, this task falls entirely on the shoulders of the parents.
Do I need to take carminative funds?
Due to increased gas formation, the result of the study may be distorted, since it will be difficult for the physician to examine in detail the internal organs of the patient. If a person does not suffer from frequent constipation, intestinal colic and bloating, usually to reduce the manifestations of flatulence suffices a special diet before ultrasound of the liver and gallbladder. How to prepare a patient if he has a tendency to such pathological conditions? You can take a special day before the examination, which has a carminative effect.
These are harmless medications based on simethicone and similar substances. The agent does not enter into biochemical reactions in the body, it acts physically, reducing the surface tension. As a result, air bubbles formed in the intestines merge and burst, and the person feels relieved. The medicine is so safe that it is prescribed even for newborns with intestinal colic.
Ultrasound safety
Ultrasound is one of the most safe and painless types of examinations in medicine. To date, there is no proven fact of harm from this diagnostic procedure for a person. If necessary, it can be carried out immediately after the birth of the child, including ultrasound of the gallbladder, how to prepare for which, described above.
This procedure is prescribed even for pregnant women( on all terms), which also indicates a minimal risk of adverse effects on the body. The study is informative and painless, which is important in diagnosing childhood diseases.
Obtaining the most objective results of the study can only be knowing how to prepare for ultrasound of the liver, gallbladder, pancreas and other organs of the abdominal cavity. Simple rules will save the patient's time and money, which he could spend on a repeat procedure.