Gallbladder Surgery – Intraoperative Cholangiogram

During a cholecystectomy, which is a surgical procedure for removing the gallbladder, you may have a procedure known as intraoperative cholangiogram. In this procedure, a catheter is placed in the cystic duct, which helps in draining bile into the common bile duct from the gallbladder.

The common bile duct is then injected with a dye that is meant to blocks x-rays after which you will have to take an x-ray.

Your doctor may recommend intraoperative cholangiogram for:

1. Finding gallstones present in the common bile duct.
2. Allowing your surgeon to view the bile duct system’s anatomy, right from the liver all the way to the small intestine. The bile ducts are first viewed before removing the gallbladder. This is done as a safeguard so that the doctor does not snip or damage the common bile duct in error.

Single-Site Da Vinci Surgery (Gallbladder Surgery)

With the da Vinci technology, your gallbladder can be removed through one small incision in your belly using single-site technology or through several small incisions. Like single-incision laparoscopy, patients of da Vinci single-site surgery experience virtually scarless results. This is a highly sophisticated robotic-assisted surgical device that allows the surgeon to remain in control throughout the procedure.

The da Vinci System provides surgeons with:

1. A vivid and detailed 3D HD view of the inside of your body.
2. Special-wristed surgical instruments that are able to rotate and bend far greater than the human hand is able to.
3. Enhanced vision, control, and precision

Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy

Laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, or cholecystectomy, is a procedure which involves the removal of both gallbladder as well as gallstones through many incisions in the abdomen. In order to see clearly, the surgeon inflates your abdomen with carbon dioxide or air. General anesthesia is used in cholecystectomy, which usually lasts two hours or less.

In 5 to 10 out of 100 cholecystectomy procedures performed in the United States, the surgeon needs to switch to an open gallbladder surgery in which a larger incision has to be made. Examples of problems that require open surgery rather than cholecystectomy include unexpected inflammation, injury, bleeding, or scar tissue.

Traditional Open Cholecystectomy

In open cholecystectomy, the gall bladder is removed by the surgeon through a single, large incision on the abdomen. The surgery lasts for about 2 hours and is done under general anesthesia. An incision is made under the right rib cage to facilitate the gall bladder removal. In some cases the incision is made between the navel and end of the breast bone.

This is not a common surgery and very few patients are asked to undergo it. This procedure is suggested after laparoscopic surgery fails. Once the surgery is complete, the bile flows normally from the lover to the small intestine via the common bile duct. Since the gallbladder is removed, bile can no longer be stored in the body between meals. However, this does not affect digestion.