You might need to have a cholecystectomy surgery to remove your gallbladder, if you have a chronic or persistent gallbladder disease. Gallstones are the most common reason.

If you have one, you will be in good company. It is one of the most common procedures performed worldwide. At The Center for Bariatrics, in Tijuana, Mexico, Dr. Ismael V. Bailon offers it as a laparoscopic procedure.

What is a cholecystectomy?

A cholecystectomy is a surgical procedure to remove your gallbladder — the small, hollow organ that stores bile for your digestive system.

Gallbladder removal surgery is a common treatment for many types of gallbladder disease. This is because the downsides of having your gallbladder removed are generally fewer than those of the diseases it treats. You can live a healthy life without a gallbladder.

Is cholecystectomy a major surgery?

Cholecystectomy is a common procedure with a typically easy recovery. It’s also one of the first procedures that’s become routinely performed using minimally invasive surgery techniques.

These techniques, including laparoscopic surgery and robotic surgery, use very small incisions of a half-inch or less to minimize trauma, pain and recovery time. While an open operation with a larger incision may occasionally be necessary, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is far more common today than open surgery.

Why is cholecystectomy done?

You might need gallbladder removal surgery if gallbladder disease:

• Interferes with your quality of life.
• Poses significant risks to your health.
• Is expected to continue and/or get worse.

Unfortunately, this is the case with most of the conditions that can affect your gallbladder, including:

• Gallstone disease.
• Chronic cholecystitis.
• Gallbladder cancer.

Gallstones are the most common reason for cholecystectomy. While many people live with gallstones and never have problems with them, those who do have problems tend to have them repeatedly.

A gallstone that gets stuck anywhere in your biliary tract can block the flow of bile, causing pain and illness. It might block the opening to your gallbladder, your common bile duct or your pancreatic duct.

What happens during a cholecystectomy?

During a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, your surgeon will:

• Make a small incision, about 2 or 3 centimeters (cm) long, near your belly button.
• Make two to three additional “keyhole” incisions, about 1 centimeter long, in your upper right abdomen.
• Insert a small tube into one of the smaller incisions and pump carbon dioxide gas through it to inflate your abdomen. This helps to separate your abdominal walls from your organs.
• Insert the laparoscope into the larger incision. The laparoscope (a small, lighted camera) projects images to a video monitor above the operating table.
• Using the video monitor as a guide, insert narrow surgical tools through the one or two remaining incisions to remove your gallbladder.
• Release the gas from your abdomen and close the incisions with stitches.

During an open cholecystectomy, Dr. Ismael V. Bailon will:

• Make one incision, about 4 to 6 inches (in) long, underneath your right rib.
• Use surgical tools to remove your gallbladder.
• Insert a surgical drain (Jackson Pratt drain) into the wound to drain excess fluids.
• Close the incision with stitches, leaving the drain in place.

How long does gallbladder removal surgery take?

A laparoscopic cholecystectomy normally takes about 60 to 90 minutes. An open cholecystectomy takes about one to two hours. Your procedure might take longer if your surgeon needs to add additional steps to treat your condition.

For example, sometimes they might add a bile duct exploration to check for gallstones or other issues in your bile ducts. This way, they can treat these issues at the same time.