How is surgery for gallbladder problems performed?
Surgical removal is the most frequently recommended treatment for gallstones that cause symptoms. While medical treatments for gallstones do exist, they have drawbacks and are rarely used. And while the gallbladder does have a role in the human digestive system, its removal does not significantly affect the continued digestive function. As a result, with more than 500,000 cholecystectomies performed each year, it is one of the most frequently done surgical procedures in the United States. The traditional approach to cholecystectomy for many years was an open procedure in which the surgeon made a large incision to gain direct access to the gallbladder. However, gallbladder surgery today is much more likely to involve laparoscopic techniques in which the surgeon uses fiber-optic tubes to access the abdominal cavity through several tiny incisions. The results of this surgery with minimal incisions are much faster recovery time with much less pain. To perform a laparoscopic procedure, the
