Reasons for a Cholecystectomy
Your doctor may recommend cholecystectomy if you have:
- Cholelithiasis: gallstones in the gallbladder
- Cholecystitis: inflammation of the gallbladder
- Pancreatitis: inflammation of the pancreas
What to Expect with Gallbladder Removal
Cholecystectomy is performed using general anaesthesia, so you won’t be awake during the procedure. Your surgeon then performs the cholecystectomy using the laparoscopic technique. During laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the surgeon makes four small incisions in your abdomen. A laparoscope with a tiny video camera attached is inserted into your abdomen through one of the incisions. This allows your surgeon to view inside the abdomen as special surgical tools are inserted through the rest of the incisions and your gallbladder (with the stones inside it) is safely removed.