Can anyone tell me if clips should be removed during cholecystectomy surgery?
First regarding the clips: Yes, it is normal to have clips left behind, and it is to be expected nowadays with laparoscopic cholecystectomies. For example, if you don’t see clips on X-rays and the patients is sick shortly after gallbladder surgery, then you have to assume that the clips fell off and that there is a bile leak. These clips are used to close off the gallbladder’s blood supply and its connection to the main bile duct through the cystic duct, before its removal. They will remain in the body permanently. Second gallstones: If there would be gallstones in the bile duct (common bile duct stones or choledocholithiasis), then an additional endoscopic procedure called ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde CholangioPancreatography) would be necessary to remove them. Finding common bile duct stones after gallbladder surgery is not uncommon and can certainly happen. However, having had the gallbladder removed and still having GALLBLADDER stones would be a huge mishap and should NOT happen (an
