Approximately 20 million Americans suffer from the painful gallstones resulting in gallbladder disease, and every year over 500,000 gallbladder operations are performed in the United States.

Gallbladder disease is a result of gallstones and/or poorly functioning or inflamed gallbladders.  Symptoms consist of upper abdominal pain, often after a meal occurring as "attacks" or colic."  The pain may radiate to the right flank or back and last several minutes to several hours, sometimes including nausea or vomiting.

Treatment should be considered to stop the symptoms as well as to prevent complications of the disease such as infection of the gallbladder, stones entering the bile duct and blocking the liver, and inflammation of the pancreas.  It is preferable and safer to have treatment on an elective basis while you are well, as opposed to emergency therapy once a complication has developed.

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

This technique combines the use of a small fiber-optic viewing tube called a laparoscope for visualizing the gallbladder. This new procedure can usually be performed through small incisions, and it is done on an outpatient basis.  There is little discomfort associated with the procedure, and the patient can usually return to normal activities within 2 - 5 days.

Cholecystectomy

Approximately 2% to 3% of people with gallbladder disease will require the traditional open gallbladder operation, open cholecystectomy , which involves an open incision in the right upper abdominal wall with a 4 - 7 day hospitalization and 6 week recovery period. 

Situations that require open cholecystectomy may include patients that have experienced previous upper abdominal operations with dense adhesions around the gallbladder, severe infections of the gallbladder, uncontrolled bleeding, and gallstones lodged in the bile duct.