What Is It? Cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the
gallbladder, the small saclike organ located near the liver in
the upper right side of the abdomen. It is attached to the main
duct that carries bile from the liver into the intestine. Bile
helps your body to break down and absorb fats. The gallbladder
temporarily stores bile from the liver. When you eat, the
gallbladder contracts and squeezes extra bile into the intestine
to aid digestion. There are two ways to remove the gallbladder:
- Traditional surgery. The surgeon cuts open the abdomen and
removes the gallbladder through an incision that is about 6
inches long. The abdomen is then stitched closed again. -
Laparoscopic surgery. The surgeon makes four small (less than an
inch) incisions for a laparoscope and instruments. A laparoscope
is a tube-like instrument with a camera for viewing, and with it
the surgeon can guide the surgical instruments to remove the
gallbladder. The gallbladder is cut away from the liver and the
bile duct and removed thro