Gallbladder Removal
Turn to North Carolina Surgery (formerly REX Surgical Specialists) for gallbladder removal, also known as a cholecystectomy. You’ll benefit from minimally invasive (laparoscopic) techniques that can help you heal and recover faster after surgery.
What is the Gallbladder?
Your gallbladder is the small pouch under your liver on the right side of your abdomen (belly). You digest fat with the help of fluids (bile) that are stored in your gallbladder. When you eat, your gallbladder squeezes bile into your intestine through small tubes (bile ducts). These tubes can get blocked by gallstones, which consist of cholesterol and other substances found in bile. If your gallstones cause chronic symptoms, you may need surgery.
Gallstone Symptoms
Contact your doctor if you have gallstones or experience a “gallbladder attack,” which includes symptoms such as:
- Fever
- Indigestion
- Infection
- Jaundice (yellowish skin)
- Nausea and vomiting
- Pain in the abdomen, back, or under the right arm
Sometimes these symptoms aren’t caused by gallstones, but by problems with your gallbladder. In both cases, cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) may be the best treatment for you.
Should I Have Gallbladder Surgery?
You may need surgery if:
- You experience severe gallstone symptoms or gallbladder attacks.
- You haven’t felt relief despite eating healthfully, exercising regularly and maintaining a healthy weight.
Trust in surgeons at North Carolina Surgery who are trained in the latest techniques to treat your gallbladder issues and relieve your pain.
Cholecystectomy
Because your liver can produce enough bile on its own, you can live without your gallbladder. If your doctor finds gallstones in your gallbladder or bile ducts, you may need a cholecystectomy, a surgical procedure that removes your gallbladder.
During a cholecystectomy, you’ll receive general anesthesia to put you to sleep and prevent pain. The procedure will take one to two hours. In most cases, cholecystectomy is an outpatient procedure, which means you’ll go home the same day of your surgery.
Minimally Invasive Gallbladder Surgery
In most cases, you’ll receive laparoscopic (minimally invasive) cholecystectomy. This procedure uses a miniature camera attached to tiny surgical tools that allow your doctor to make smaller or hidden cuts, or even just a single incision. That means you’ll have fewer visible scars and less pain following your surgery.
