Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder stones are a common problem in Indian patients. If the stones are causing symptoms surgery is recommended. It requires removal of the gallbladder as otherwise, the gallbladder which is not functioning properly will make more stones in the future. The gallbladder only stores bile temporarily and is not an essential organ.

Most of the time surgery for Gallbladder stones can be completed laparoscopically and only occasionally an open surgery is required. If there are stones in the Bile duct also which is usually indicated by abnormal liver function tests an additional procedure may be required for that, either endoscopic removal (ERCP) or surgical removal (CBD exploration).

Most of the patients only need an overnight stay in the hospital after laparoscopic gallbladder removal and can be discharged within a few hours.

Why choose Dr. Vikas Sinhal

If you require gallbladder removal surgery (cholecystectomy), you must receive high-quality treatment from the best doctor for gallbladder surgery in Delhi, Dr. Vikas Singhal (MBBS, MRCS (Glasgow), FACS, FALS). He works as a reputed, highly skilled, and experienced Consultant in the Department of GI at Medanta-Medicity Hospital in Delhi. His expertise lies in both laparoscopic and open cholecystectomies. He possesses special interests in the latest technologies associated with endoscopic and laparoscopic surgical procedures.

Dr. Vikas Singhal has extensive clinical experience from 2002 to date, that is, around 18 years. He has also received the esteemed Fellowship in Advanced Laparoscopic GI & Bariatric Surgery at Cleveland, USA, and the well-known FASMBS (Fellowship American Society of Metabolic & Bariatric Surgery). There are many indexed publications in GI surgery to his credit in well-known journals. He has also been honoured with the best paper award by SSAT (Society of Surgeons of the Alimentary Tract) and JOGS (Journal of GI Surgery). Check out below everything that you need to know about gallbladder removal surgery.

What to expect

Before treatment

General anaesthesia is used during a gallbladder removal surgery with intravenous anaesthetic drugs. When their action starts, a tube is inserted down your throat to enable breathing. Then the surgery is carried out in an open or laparoscopic method.

During treatment

As per your condition, the surgeon will perform one of the following procedures:

• Open (traditional) cholecystectomy
  During open gallbladder removal surgery, your surgeon will create a 15cm abdominal incision on the side beneath the ribs. He will pull back your tissue and muscle for revealing the gallbladder and liver. He will then eliminate your gallbladder.
  He will stitch the incision, and take you to a recovery zone. The whole process usually needs 1-2 hours.
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  It is a minimally invasive technique. During this procedure, the surgeon will create 4 tiny abdominal incisions. He will insert a tube having a mini video camera through an incision into the abdomen. Then, observing a video monitor, he will eliminate the gallbladder with the help of surgical apparatus put through your other incisions.
  Then, if the surgeon suspects the presence of gallstones or other issues in the bile duct, an imaging test including an ultrasound or X-ray, may be done. Then he sews up the incisions and takes you to a recovery room. This method also requires 1-2 hours at the most.
  This method is not suitable for all. Sometimes the surgeon may start with laparoscopy but notice it important to create a larger incision due to scar tissue from earlier complications or surgeries.

After treatment

As the anesthetic action goes away, you will be moved to a recovery room. Recovery duration will vary based on the procedure opted for:

• Open cholecystectomy
  In the case of this process, you can expect a hospital stay of about 2-3 days after treatment. When you return home, you might need 4-6 weeks to completely recover.
• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy
  In the case of this method, you are expected to return home the same day as your operation. However, in some cases, a hospital stay is required for a night. You are usually supposed to return home when you are able to drink and eat without experiencing pain and are able to walk without any help. It needs about 1 week to completely recover.

Why it is done

A gallbladder removal surgery is generally done for treating gallstones and the complications associated with them. The doctor might suggest this surgery if you have:

• Cholelithiasis, i.e., presence of gallstones in your gallbladder
• Choledocholithiasis, i.e., presence of gallstones in your bile duct
• Cholecystitis, i.e., gallbladder inflammation
• Huge gallbladder polyps
• Pancreatitis, i.e., pancreas inflammation because of gallstones

How well it works

Gallbladder removal surgery can successfully heal the discomfort and pain associated with the presence of gallstones. Traditional therapies like dietary changes generally cannot prevent the recurrence of gallstones. In most of the cases, this surgery can prevent gallstones from reappearing.

Most of the patients do not go through digestive disorders after having gallbladder removal surgery. The gallbladder is not significant to healthy digestion. Certain patients may go through sporadic loose stool after the surgery. It normally resolves gradually. Consult the doctor regarding any alterations in your bowel movements or new signs after your operation.

How fast you can retrieve regular activities after a gallbladder removal surgery differs according to your overall health and which of the surgical methods was used by the surgeon. If you are going through a laparoscopic procedure, you might be able to resume work in some days. But if you are receiving open surgery, you may require one or more weeks for recovering enough to retrieve normal activities.

Risks

A gallbladder removal surgery has slight risks of complications like:

• Bile leakage
• Bleeding
• Infection
• Swelling
• Injury to adjacent organs like small intestine, liver and bile duct or even to blood vessels or bowel
• Reactions to general anesthesia like pneumonia or blood clots (deep vein thrombosis)
• Heart problems

You may also develop the risk of PCS (postcholecystectomy syndrome) which occurs if bile leakage happens in the stomach or any gallstones remain in the bile ducts. The signs resemble those of gallstones like diarrhoea, heartburn, and abdominal pain.

The risk of complications varies with the patient’s complete health and his/her cause for the surgery.

Benefits

Laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery can offer you the following benefits over open surgery:

• Multiple minor incisions (below 1-inch length) rather than one 5-inch or 7-inch incisions as in open operation, thereby being minimally invasive and you will have smaller scars later
• Less blood loss than in open method
• Less pain than post open procedure
• Shorter hospital-stay than in the open procedure
• Swifter recovery than in open method (in comparison to open gallbladder removal surgery that needs a recovery period of at least 4-6 weeks, the laparoscopic process can guarantee you of a recovery duration of 1 week at the most)
• Less associated risks of infection than following the open method
• Safer for a pregnant woman who is going through the first trimester of her pregnancy as deep or major incisions can prove detrimental to the foetus inside the womb of the expectant mother

An open gallbladder removal surgery can offer only one benefit over the laparoscopic technique. If you (as a patient) have allergy issues and therefore carry a greater risk of a harmful reaction to the anaesthesia used in treatment, the doctor may not recommend laparoscopic cholecystectomy for you.

However, weighing the more number of advantages in laparoscopic cholecystectomy, this method is usually preferred over the traditional technique and recommended to most patients.

What to expect from the best doctor for gallbladder surgery in Delhi?

According to Dr. Vikas Singhal and his patient studies throughout the years of his extensive clinical experience, gallbladder stones are a frequent problem among Indian patients. Therefore, he strongly recommends gallbladder removal surgery to his patients who reveal any signs or symptoms associated with gallstones. He prefers early detection and treatment to save the condition of his patients from turning worse. If you are detected with the presence of gallstones in your gallbladder, Dr. Vikas will recommend the removal of your gallbladder right away since otherwise the gallbladder that is not working efficiently, is highly probable to produce more gallstones in near future. However, he will assure you of no harm to your system pertaining to the elimination of your gallbladder as it is not one of the significant organs in your body. The sole function of your gallbladder is to store bile in a temporary manner.

Dr. Vikas Singhal is the best doctor for gallbladder surgery in Delhi. You can expect the best minimally invasive laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery from him. Only rarely, he would recommend open surgery. He also has adequate expertise and experience in carrying out CBD exploration (surgical removal) or ERCP (endoscopic removal) of your bile duct if he finds that it contains gallstones. The careful approach of Dr. Vikas to any kind of gallbladder removal surgery suitable for you can make sure that you develop minor to zero complications after receiving the concerned operation. Most of his patients only require an overnight stay at the hospital and he usually discharges them within a few hours. He can also ensure you of short recovery time so that you can return to work and other regular activities as soon as possible without any adverse impact on your health.