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Gallbladder

The gallbladder is an organ that normally functions to store bile excreted from the liver. If the gallbladder is inflamed, blocked, filled with gallstones, or cancerous, gallbladder surgery is recommended.

Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) is done while the patient is under general anesthesia (unconscious and pain-free). It can be done through an abdominal incision (open cholecystectomy) or through smaller incisions near the gallbladder using a small video camera on a tube called a laparoscope (laparoscopic cholecystectomy).

In very complex or complicated gallbladdercases, open cholecystectomy is usually recommended. An incision is made just below the ribs on the right side of the abdomen. The liver is moved to expose the gallbladder. The vessels and ducts to and from the gallbladder (cystic duct and artery) are cut and tied off, and the gallbladder is removed. The incision is closed.


Copyright:
Wake Forest University School of Medicine
and North Carolina Baptist Hospital. All rights reserved.
Medical Center Boulevard
Winston-Salem, NC 27157
(336) 716-2011

Copyright: Wake Forest University School of Medicine and North Carolina Baptist Hospitals. All rights reserved.

Medical Center Boulevard

Winston-Salem, NC 27157

The information on this Website is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation or care from your physician or other qualified healthcare provider. If you have a medical problem or a health-related question, consult your physician or call Health On-Call at 336-716-2255 or 1-800-446-2255.

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Last Modified: 1/1/2009