The Physical Effects of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Surgery on Patients
Skylar McLaurin
Ms. Joe
English IV
29 November 2011
The Physical Effects of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Surgery on Patients
A cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Despite the development of non-surgical techniques, it is the most common method for treating symptomatic gallstones. There are other indications for the procedure, including carcinoma. Each year, more than 500,000 Americans have gallbladder surgery. Most of the options of surgery include a standard procedure, called laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and an older more invasive procedure called an open cholecystectomy. This surgery, cholecystectomy, is performed when attempts to treat gallstones with ultrasound to shatter the stones or medications to dissolve them have not proved feasible (“Cholecystectomy”). When doing this operation, the surgeon makes many small incisions in the abdomen area. He or she inserts surgical tools and a tiny video camera into the abdomen. This camera sends a magnified image from inside of the body to a video monitor, giving the surgeon a closer view of the organs and tissues. While viewing this monitor, the surgeon uses the instruments to carefully split the gallbladder from the liver and ducts (“Gallbladder Surgery-Cholecystectomy”). Considering that the abdominal muscles are not cut during laparoscopic surgery, patients have little pain and problems. Recovery usually takes at least one night in the hospital following multiple days of restricted activity at home. If the surgeon may discover infection or scarring from other operations, the operating team may have to change to open surgery. Sometimes, they discover these problems before the surgery occurs. It is called open surgery because the surgeon is required to make a 5 to 8 inch incision in the abdomen to remove the gallbladder. This on the other hand, is a big surgery that may require between 2 and 7 days of stay in the hospital and many weeks to recover at home. The most common
Ms. Joe
English IV
29 November 2011
The Physical Effects of Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Surgery on Patients
A cholecystectomy is the surgical removal of the gallbladder. Despite the development of non-surgical techniques, it is the most common method for treating symptomatic gallstones. There are other indications for the procedure, including carcinoma. Each year, more than 500,000 Americans have gallbladder surgery. Most of the options of surgery include a standard procedure, called laparoscopic cholecystectomy, and an older more invasive procedure called an open cholecystectomy. This surgery, cholecystectomy, is performed when attempts to treat gallstones with ultrasound to shatter the stones or medications to dissolve them have not proved feasible (“Cholecystectomy”). When doing this operation, the surgeon makes many small incisions in the abdomen area. He or she inserts surgical tools and a tiny video camera into the abdomen. This camera sends a magnified image from inside of the body to a video monitor, giving the surgeon a closer view of the organs and tissues. While viewing this monitor, the surgeon uses the instruments to carefully split the gallbladder from the liver and ducts (“Gallbladder Surgery-Cholecystectomy”). Considering that the abdominal muscles are not cut during laparoscopic surgery, patients have little pain and problems. Recovery usually takes at least one night in the hospital following multiple days of restricted activity at home. If the surgeon may discover infection or scarring from other operations, the operating team may have to change to open surgery. Sometimes, they discover these problems before the surgery occurs. It is called open surgery because the surgeon is required to make a 5 to 8 inch incision in the abdomen to remove the gallbladder. This on the other hand, is a big surgery that may require between 2 and 7 days of stay in the hospital and many weeks to recover at home. The most common