Tag Archives: gallbladder surgery

Gallbladder Robotic Surgery

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Gallbladder removal surgery, or cholecystectomy is a surgical procedure to remove the gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ that sits below the liver on the upper right side of the abdomen and collects and stores bile made in the liver.

Gallbladder removal surgery is a common surgery that treats many types of gallbladder disease including:

  • Gallstones (cholelithiasis)
  • Cholecystitis (inflammation)
  • Biliary dyskinesia
  • Gangrene
  • Gallbladder cancer
  • Cholangiopathy
  • Pancreatitis caused by gallstones

The most common and recognizable symptom of gallbladder disease is biliary colic. It is a pattern of pain in your biliary tract in your upper right abdomen that occurs in episodes, often with nausea. Biliary colic is usually an early sign of biliary disease that is likely to get worse. When your bile flow stalls completely, you’ll feel intense bladder pain that won’t go away until you get medical care. Other signs of possible gallbladder disease include:

  • Jaundice
  • A swollen abdomen that is tender to the touch
  • Large gallbladder polyps discovered on an ultrasound

If you are experiencing any of these signs or symptoms, your healthcare provider will examine you and conduct the necessary tests to diagnose the cause. They will let you know if gallbladder surgery is recommended.

There are three types of gallbladder removal surgery, they include:

  • Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  • Robotic cholecystectomy
  • Open cholecystectomy

Through the acquisition of the Da Vinci robot surgical platform, Jamaica Hospital Medical Center can now perform minimally invasive robotic surgical procedures.

There are many potential advantages of robotic-assisted surgery over other types of surgery, including:

  • Robot-assisted surgery provides the surgeon with 3D images inside the abdomen and pelvis that create a clearer picture to reference as they operate.
  • Under the surgeon’s direction, the robot can move more freely and with more versatility than a human hand
  • You’ll have a few tiny scars.
  • You’re more likely to experience less pain and less bleeding after surgery compared to open surgery.
  • A shorter hospital stay.

For more information about robotic surgery at Jamaica Hospital Medical Center or to learn more about other surgical options, please call (718) 206-7001 to make an appointment.

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All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.

How Do You Know if You Need Gallbladder Surgery?

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One of the most common forms of surgery is a Cholecystectomy (koh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-me), a procedure to remove the gallbladder.  The gallbladder is an organ that sits just below your liver on the upper right side of your abdomen. It collects and stores bile — a digestive fluid produced in your liver.
ThinkstockPhotos-494670812Removal of the gallbladder might be necessary when pain occurs due to complications from gallstones which block the flow of bile or from inflammation in the gallbladder or surrounding area. Below are reasons why a surgeon would recommend a cholecystectomy:

 

  • Gallstones in the gallbladder (cholelithiasis)
  • Gallstones in the bile duct (choledocholithiasis)
  • Gallbladder inflammation (cholecystitis)
  • Pancreas inflammation (pancreatitis)

Jamaica Hospital surgeons perform this procedure laparoscopically. This minimally invasive surgical option involves the surgeon making small incisions in the abdomen. A tube with a tiny video camera is inserted into your abdomen through one of the incisions. The surgeon watches a video monitor in the operating room as special surgical tools are inserted and the gallbladder is removed. The procedure is done using general anesthesia and patients fully recover in less than a week.

After surgery, bile will flow from the liver through the common bile duct and into the small intestine. Because the gallbladder has been removed, the body is unable to store bile between meals. In most people, this has little or no effect on digestion.

If you suspect you need gallbladder surgery, please see your doctor. If you do not have a doctor, the surgeons at Jamaica Hospital can perform an evaluation and schedule for the procedure if necessary. To make an appointment, please call 718-206-7110.

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All content of this newsletter is intended for general information purposes only and is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Please consult a medical professional before adopting any of the suggestions on this page. You must never disregard professional medical advice or delay seeking medical treatment based upon any content of this newsletter. PROMPTLY CONSULT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR CALL 911 IF YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY.