Minimizing Complications
New Technology Allows for More Precise Gallbladder Removals

Gallbladder removal is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures in the United States. Once an open procedure, surgeons now perform gallbladder removal surgeries laparoscopically the majority of the time, which means they are minimally invasive.

Today, technology allows the minimally invasive gallbladder surgery to be performed with greater ease. “Inova makes sure we have state-of-the-art instruments for minimally invasive surgery,” notes Robert Ahmed, MD, who has been performing laparoscopic gallbladder surgery for more than 20 years. “The instruments we use today are finer and have a smaller diameter than those of the past. Inova has made the investment in high-definition video equipment, so we are able to see the fine detail that we need in order to perform a precise operation. We can see things better than we could before. The color is more true; the definition is more precise and finer.”

Small Incisions

During minimally invasive gallbladder surgery, a surgeon makes four small incisions — one 1-inch incision at the belly button and three quarter-inch incisions in the right upper quadrant of the abdomen.

In comparison to open gallbladder surgery — which requires at least a 4-inch incision — patients experience less pain and are able to get back on their feet faster after the outpatient laparoscopic procedure. And because they are able to watch the surgery using high-definition video equipment, surgeons are able to execute more precise operations, which reduces patients’ risk of bleeding.