What is the surgical procedure called a cholecystectomy?

A cholecystectomy is an intricate procedure that involves the resection of the gallbladder. The gallbladder rests beneath the liver on the top part of the right side of the midsection. Digestive fluid, more commonly known as bile that the liver produces collects and is safely stored in the gallbladder.

Primarily, a cholecystectomy helps address complications as a result of gallstones. Gallstones are hardened deposits of bile that obstruct the ducts which ensure the seamless flow of bile from the gallbladder to the small intestine.

Why do you perform a cholecystectomy?

A cholecystectomy is performed to treat complications from gallstones trapped inside the gallbladder (cholelithiasis), or gallstones can remain inside the bile duct.

Surgery can be done to address inflammation inside the gallbladder, the formation of gallbladder polyps and inflammation inside the pancreas (pancreatitis).

How does Dr Toma perform a cholecystectomy?

Dr Toma can decide to perform a cholecystectomy in either one of two way

• Less invasive laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  is done by creating four tiny incisions over the belly. Dr Toma inserts a tube-like device (laparoscope) inside an incision made over the abdomen. A camera at the tip of the scope captures an expansive view of the operative site. Dr Toma uses the other smaller openings to insert surgical equipment and removes the gallbladder from one of the incisions.
• Standard open surgery
  involves making a 6-inch incision over the abdomen. Next, the overlying muscle and tissue are pulled aside to reveal the gallbladder and liver. Afterwards, Dr Toma removes the gallbladder and sutures the large incision.

Unfortunately, conservative approaches such as dietary modifications cannot prevent the recurrence of gallstones. However, a cholecystectomy can relieve inflammation due to gallstone formation and reduce the risk of the recurrence of gallstones. The time it takes to recover depends on the type of cholecystectomy undergone. For example, it takes a few days to recover from a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, whereas you may need a week or more to recover from an open cholecystectomy.