Gallbladder Removal (Cholecystectomy)

Gallbladder removal or cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder, which is a pear shaped organ located below the liver and upper right side of the abdomen and collects and stores bile (a digestive fluid produced in the liver).

This is a minimally invasive surgery with only small risks involved. It's most commonly performed to treat the gallstones and the problems caused by them. You might be recommended to have cholecystectome if you have:

• Gallstones in the gallbladder (cholelithiasis)
• Gallstones in the bile duct (choledocholithiasis)
• Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis)
• Large gallbladder polyps
• Pancreas inflammation (pancreatitis) due to gallstones

The aim of this article is to give you a general information about the surgical intervention in question. You need to make more research about possible complications and risks of this selected procedure in order to make an informed decision. Please note that complications occur more frequently with patients who are obese, smoke, and have a history or lung or other chronic underlying medical conditions.

Smokers are recognized to have a significantly higher risk of post operative wound healing problems with a subsequently higher potential of infection as well as operative and post operative bleeding. Patients should discontinue smoking for two weeks before and two weeks after surgery. Although it helps to stop smoking before and after surgery, this does not completely eliminate the increased risks resulting from long­ term smoking. Smoking also has a long term adverse effect on the skin and ageing process.