Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
Description
Sometimes known as Keyhole surgery is the term used to describe removal of the Gall Bladder.
You may have been diagnosed with gall stones after reporting to your GP or even the emergency department with upper or right sided tummy pain, when your doctor will have ordered an ultrasound to confirm this diagnosis.
Often surgery is recommended to remove the stones along with your gall bladder to prevent further attacks or complications from gall stones like infection (cholecystitis) or pancreatitis.
Usually this can be performed with keyhole surgery, through small ports into your abdomen down which a camera & instruments can be placed to complete the operation. Usually an Xray is taken of the bile duct (the tube leading from the Liver, where bile is made, to the small bowel & from which the gall bladder is attached. The gall bladder is in fact a bile storage facility). This Xray helps us make sure the bile duct is safe & does not contain stones.