Gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is one of the most common surgeries in the United States, enjoying a long history of excellent outcomes. That said, if it’s your gallbladder being removed, it’s natural to be a little nervous.
At Desert West Surgery, our team relies on the most advanced surgical techniques and technology to provide personalized procedures that support the best outcomes for every patient.
In this post, learn how robotic surgery has revolutionized gallbladder procedures, and how this state-of-the-art technology can help you feel more relaxed and confident about your care.
Your gallbladder stores bile, a digestive fluid that plays a key role in breaking down fats and other substances. Bile is produced by your liver but stored in your gallbladder, which releases it as needed during the digestive process.
Sometimes, small, hard concretions called gallstones form inside your gallbladder, blocking the duct and preventing bile from being released. Gallstones are painful and won’t go away on their own.
Instead, surgery is necessary to remove your gallbladder, after which bile flows directly from your liver into your intestine, bypassing any need for storage. While that once meant traditional open surgery using a single, larger incision, today, cholecystectomies are primarily performed using a minimally invasive approach that often involves robotic technology.
Traditional open cholecystectomy is also associated with a high degree of success, but the larger incision involves more tissue damage and bleeding, along with a lengthier recovery period and increased risk of infection.
In the 1980s, surgeons began shifting toward a minimally invasive cholecystectomy using a special instrument called a laparoscope. A laparoscopic cholecystectomy uses 2-3 very small incisions and, in turn, offers a lower risk of complications.
About 30 years ago, cholecystectomies took another step forward with the introduction of robot-assisted surgery, another approach using very small incisions. In robot-assisted gallbladder surgery, a state-of-the-art surgical robot assists our skilled team of surgeons, replicating the surgeon’s hand movements and optimizing them for greater precision and control.
One of the greatest sources of anxiety before any surgery is the fear of complications. Once again, the high degree of precision associated with robot-assisted systems means your risk is minimized.
Robot-assisted systems feature high magnification and better visibility of the surgical site, supporting a better surgical experience as well as an ability to make decisions during the procedure based on your unique anatomy.
Small incisions also mean less anxiety for you. Not only do these tinier openings substantially reduce your risk of bleeding during surgery, but they also dramatically lower your risk of infection by limiting the amount of tissue exposed during surgery.
Finally, a high level of accuracy also decreases your risk of damage to surrounding structures, such as nerves or other organs. This level of accuracy is helpful in delicate areas like your belly, where important structures are located close together.
The recovery period is another source of nervousness for many patients — what will recovery be like, how long will it take, and how uncomfortable will I be?
Again, robot-assisted surgery offers good news. Thanks to smaller incisions and less tissue damage during your procedure, you can expect less bleeding, swelling, and discomfort afterward.
Most patients can return to their regular routines more quickly. In fact, most procedures are performed on an outpatient basis, so you can recover and relax at home. When a hospital stay is required, it’s typically 24 hours or less. Finally, tiny incisions mean less scarring.
Feeling anxious about gallbladder surgery is understandable, but knowing what to expect during and after your procedure can go a long way toward helping you feel more relaxed and prepared.
To learn more about robot-assisted surgery and the other techniques we use, call Desert West Surgery to schedule a consultation at our Las Vegas, Nevada, location nearest you.
