Removal of the gallbladder (cholecystectomy) is done for a variety of reasons. It can be done emergently for those patients suffering from acute cholecystitis (inflammation) or as an outpatient basis for those with symptoms associated with stones. The gallbladder is a small organ associated with the liver. It's job is to store and concentrate bile, which helps the body absorb fat. Gallstones form in a large number of patients when the bile salts stop dissolving and begin to form crystals within the bile. The majority of people with gallstones are asymptomatic. Those with symptoms usually complain of upper abdominal pains, nausea, bloating or indigestion especially 20-60 minutes after eating a meal (the fattier the meal the more likely to get symptoms). Unfortunately there is no medical treatment for gallstones, the only treatment requires surgery.

Procedure:

In the majority of patients (>95%), the gallbladder can be removed through laparoscopy and is an outpatient procedure. This requires 4 small incisions (<1inch in length) be made on the abdomen. Using a camera and special instruments the gladder is carefully removed. In a very small percentage of patients the gallbladder cannot be safely removed through this method and a more traditional approach needs to be utilized. This requires a long incision on the upper abdomen and usually is associated with a several day hospital stay.

After the Operation:

Recovering from a laparoscopic cholecystectomy is relatively quick. Normally, you will be given 10 days off of work, will be limited in the amount of strenuous activity you can do and may require some assistance fo the first few days. The most common complaint after the surgery is feeling like you have the "stomach flu" with some mild bloating and nausea. After 4-5 days most patients feel normal except for some mild soreness at their belly button which resolves in the next week. There are no dietary restrictions, and most patients are back to normal in 7-10 days.