Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
About Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Surgery)
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is surgery to remove your gallbladder.
Dr Shears makes a few small incisions on the right side of your abdomen (belly). Then he uses one incision to insert a laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera on the end. This shows your gallbladder on a screen. The gallbladder then gets removed using 3 other small incisions.
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less invasive than an open cholecystectomy. This other form of gallbladder removal involves a larger incision.
Further information about Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
What is a gallbladder and what does it do?
The gallbladder is about the size of a small apple and is a storage organ for bile produced by the liver. It sits on the under-surface of the liver and when you eat fatty food a signal is sent from the small bowel to make the gallbladder squeeze to release concentrated bile.
Unfortunately in some people they can form stones in the gallbladder that can cause symptoms and problems that require the gallbladder to be removed to prevent ongoing issues.
Who needs to have the gallbladder out?
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy helps people with gallstones that are causing pain and infection.
Gallstones are crystals that form in the gallbladder. They can block the flow of bile out of the gallbladder into your digestive system. This roadblock causes cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Gallstones can also move to other parts of the body and cause problems.
Symptoms of gallstones include:
Feeling bloated.
Fever.
Jaundice (yellow-looking skin).
Nausea.
Pain in the right side of the abdomen, which may reach the back or the shoulder.
What are the results of gallbladder surgery?
A cholecystectomy can relieve the pain and discomfort of gallstones. Conservative treatments, such as dietary modifications, usually can't stop gallstones from recurring. In most cases, a cholecystectomy will prevent gallstones from coming back.
Most people won't experience digestive problems after a cholecystectomy. Your gallbladder isn't essential to healthy digestion. Some people may experience occasional loose stool after the procedure, which generally resolves over time. A small percentage of people will have looser stool longer term.