Cholecystectomy – This procedure is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, a small, non-vital organ located just below the liver. Cholecystectomy is commonly used to treat gallstones, but the gallbladder may also need to be removed to treat infection or disease.
The patient is positioned, and general anesthesia is administered. If the surgeon is performing an open procedure, an incision is made in the abdomen. If the procedure is being performed laparoscopically, the surgeon makes three to four small port holes in the skin so that the laparoscopic camera and other instruments can be inserted. During a laparoscopic procedure, the abdomen is inflated with gas to give the surgeon a clear view and room to work.
The surgeon gently isolates the gallbladder and ties off the cystic duct – that’s the stem at the base of the gallbladder that allows bile to flow from the gallbladder to the bile duct. The surgeon then carefully cuts through the cystic duct and removes the gallbladder from the abdomen.
The instruments are removed, and the incisions are closed and bandaged. Some patients may be able to go home after a short observation period in the recovery room. Others may require a stay of one or two nights in the hospital. Patients will be able to resume normal activities after a few days or a few weeks. A bland diet may be recommended as the body adjusts to digesting without a gallbladder. Eventually, the body will fully compensate, and the patient can resume a normal diet.
Surgery is something you should never take lightly. You deserve the best doctors in San Antonio, which is why you should visit the Digestive & Liver Disease Center of San Antonio for cholecystectomy treatment. Call our team today!
