Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a surgery performed to remove the diseased gallbladder. As its name indicates, this intervention is done with a laparoscopy team that has a light and a camera at one end, which projects the images on a monitor. This time, Dr. César Guiulfo, general laparoscopic surgeon at Clinica Ricardo Palma, will tells us more about this procedure.

How is it done?

The procedure is performed in the operating room, with all the appropriate surgical equipment. The patient is given general anesthesia, so they will not be conscious during the entire procedure, which lasts approximately 30 minutes.

Why?

In most cases, laparoscopic cholecystectomy is performed as part of the treatment for gallstones and the complications they can cause, such as:

• Obstruction of the cystic duct, with inflammation of the gallbladder walls
• Blockage of the main bile duct by gallstones, which can even lead to pancreatitis
• Inflammation or infection of the gallbladder

How should the patient prepare before surgery?

The patient must be fasting for at least 6 hours before the intervention, and only if he is hypertensive, he must take his medication for high blood pressure.

What care is required after surgery?

As it is an outpatient intervention, the post-surgery period is at home, thus reducing the risk of contracting a nosocomial infection. On the other hand, the relative in charge is explained all the basic care that the patient must follow at home and how he must eat.

Dr. César Guiulfo
General Laparoscopic Surgeon at Clínica Ricardo Palma