Gallbladder Surgery in Peoria

What is the gallbladder?

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that stores bile to help digest fat. Located under your liver, this organ is susceptible to infection and inflammation that can cause pain and disrupt your digestive health.

One common condition that affects your gallbladder is gallstones, small pebble-like structures that form when bile hardens. They can be small like a grain of sand or as large as a golf ball. When large enough, gallstones can cause obstructions in the gallbladder.

Why would I need gallbladder surgery?

Treating gallstones and gallbladder disease often requires surgery, especially when lifestyle and medication therapies aren’t effective in relieving severe or recurring symptoms of disease or obstructions.

Common symptoms of gallbladder disease or gallstone obstruction include pain in the middle or upper right side of your abdomen. You may also experience:

• Fever
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Abdominal fullness
• Clay-colored stool
• Yellowing of the skin or eyes (jaundice)

Your doctor at Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery can determine if you need surgery for gallbladder problems after a full health evaluation and assessment of your symptoms.

What should I expect during gallbladder surgery?

The surgeons at the Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery generally use a laparoscopic procedure to remove obstructions and reduce the severity of your symptoms.

You can expect to receive anesthesia for your comfort and to ensure the procedure is pain-free. Your surgeon only needs to make a single, small incision to reach your gallbladder, a procedure known as the Single-Site® using the da Vinci® surgical system. This procedure uses robot-assisted technology to allow for more precision in the surgeon’s movements.

The Single-Site technique requires a small incision through your belly button to reduce your risk for noticeable scarring and ensure a faster healing process. The da Vinci surgical system offers advancements over traditional laparoscopic surgery, providing your surgeon with high-definition 3D imagining and a magnified view of your gallbladder through a tiny camera inserted through the incision.

There are some cases where minimally invasive surgery isn’t possible, and your doctor may need to make additional incisions. This decision depends on your medical history and the severity of your gallbladder issues. In some cases, your surgeon may decide it’s best to remove the gallbladder entirely, a procedure known as a cholecystectomy.

If you’re experiencing persistent abdominal pain or other symptoms of gallbladder dysfunction, schedule a consultation for gallbladder surgery by calling the Center for Minimally Invasive and Robotic Surgery or booking an appointment online today.