Gallbladder keyhole surgery: How it works and recovery (full sample)
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Keyhole surgery to remove a gallbladder is a common surgical procedure, designed to minimize the discomfort and risks to a patient and is often needed if other options to deal with gallstones have been exhausted. In this article we'll explore what happens during the procedure and what a patient can expect as they recover.
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Gallbladder Keyhole Surgery - How it Works and Recovery
Gallstones can be a relatively common problem in older men and women. Although they do not always present with symptoms and are often treatable without surgery, sometimes more drastic intervention is required. In these cases, the gallbladder will need to be removed and the least traumatic way of doing this is through keyhole surgery.
How keyhole surgery works
Keyhole surgery to remove the gallbladder is called laparoscopic cholecystectomy and works as follows:
The patient is anesthetized.
Small incisions are made in a patient's abdomen by a surgeon.
Plastic tubes called ports are inserted into these incisions.
A camera and various surgical instruments are inserted through the ports into the patient's abdomen.
The surgeon uses the camera to locate the gallbladder.
They then use the other instruments to remove it and internally suture the site.
They remove the camera and instruments and suture the incisions.
The patient is moved to a recovery room to wake up.
This type of surgery is designed to cause the minimum amount of pain, discomfort, risk or complications for the patient.
Advantages of keyhole gallbladder surgery
The advantages of this type of surgery are:
Less pain following the operation.
Minimal internal and external scarring.
Faster postoperative recovery.
Less risk of complications from infections, blood loss or other factors (less than a 2% risk).
A shorter stay in the hospital.
Recovering from keyhole gallbladder surgery
Patients can have this type of surgery as part of a very short hospital stay of one or two days.
They can expect to be sore after the operation for around a week (compared to three to six weeks for traditional, open surgery).
Patients should be able to return to light work and other mild activity after about a week.
Patients should be able to return to normal activities in about two to four weeks.
In closing
Keyhole gallbladder surgery is the least invasive way to remove the gallbladder and may be recommended if a patient suffers from significant pain or other issues due to gallstones. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a straightforward procedure and patients will normally be able to leave hospital in a day or two and make a full recovery in less than a month.
Content originally written by Paul Maplesden, a freelance writer, and edited by me.