Laparoscopic Gall Bladder Surgery Brisbane & Gold Coast

What is involved in laparoscopic gall bladder surgery?

Key-hole surgery for removal of the gall bladder involves 4 tiny incisions. This can be performed in patients who suffer from biliary colic (gall bladder attacks) and acute cholecystitis (gall bladder infection). A cholangiogram (x-ray test) is performed during surgery to check for stones within the bile ducts and if present may be amendable to removal by common bile duct exploration. At times, it is deemed to be safer that bile duct stones be removed by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP), a non-invasive procedure, and this can be arranged immediately after gall bladder surgery. 

The procedure is performed as an overnight stay and patients can be discharged the next day.

What is the recovery like after laparoscopic gall bladder surgery?

Dressings should be left on for 7 days and removed. Avoid heavy lifting (>5-10kg) over the next 4 weeks as you recover from surgery.

What are the risks of laparoscopic gall bladder surgery?

The removal of the gall bladder is a safe procedure, but like all operations, there are risks and complications associated with the procedure. Some of these include bleeding, infection, injury to the bile duct, bile leak and damage to bowel and blood vessels.