Gallbladder

When gallstones get too large, they can cause a sudden, painful gallbladder attack. When you reach that point, surgery to remove your gallbladder is the most effective treatment. Abel Bello, MD, and the doctors at MIB Surgery have years of experience performing successful laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, helping patients quickly recover from acute gallbladder attacks. If you need to consider surgery, schedule a consultation by calling the office in Plantation, Florida, or book an appointment online.

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Gallbladder Q & A

What gallbladder conditions require surgery?

Bile is a substance that’s produced by your liver, then stored in the gallbladder. Your gallbladder releases bile into the small intestine when it’s needed to digest fats. If your gallbladder is removed, bile flows from the liver directly into the small intestine, so your food is digested properly.

Gallbladder removal is the primary treatment for common gallbladder problems, such as:

Cholecystitis: Cholecystitis, an inflamed gallbladder, develops when the bile duct is blocked by gallstones. As a result, bile builds up, creating pressure inside the gallbladder that damages the tissues. Without treatment, the gallbladder can tear or rupture.
Gallstones: Bile contains several substances, including cholesterol and bilirubin. Gallstones form when an excess amount of cholesterol or bilirubin binds together and forms hard pieces or stones. Gallstones don’t cause symptoms until they block the bile duct, then they cause inflammation and infection in the gallbladder. Once gallstones start to cause symptoms, gallbladder removal is recommended.

What symptoms develop due to gallbladder disease?

Gallstones and cholecystitis both cause symptoms that include:

Pain in the upper right abdomen
Pain in your right shoulder or back
Abdominal pain and tenderness
Nausea and vomiting
Fever

If the bile duct becomes blocked and bile collects in the gallbladder, you’ll have an acute attack of sudden, severe pain that can last for hours.

What happens during gallbladder surgery?

The doctors at MIB Surgery perform cholecystectomy, or surgery to remove your gallbladder, using minimally invasive laparoscopic surgery. This type of surgery is done using several very small incisions and specialized tools in narrow tubes that fit through the incisions.

The laparoscope, which is inserted in one incision, contains lighting and a high-definition camera that sends an image of the surgical area to a monitor.

The tools needed to perform your surgery are inserted through the other incisions. Then your doctor manipulates the tools while viewing the monitor.

The team at MIB Surgery also specializes in robotic-assisted surgery using the da Vinci® surgical system. This is a laparoscopic procedure in which your surgeon controls robotic arms that hold the surgical tools.

The robotic system responds to sensors on the surgeon’s hands, using technology that allows for greater precision and range of motion than can be achieved with manual procedures.

Whether manual or robotic, the small incisions made during minimally invasive surgery cause less trauma. As a result, you have minimal bleeding, reduced post-op pain, and a fast recovery.

If you suffer from gallstone symptoms and need gallbladder surgery, call MIB Surgery to schedule an appointment.