HOW DO I KNOW IF MY DOCTOR CAN PERFORM A LAPAROSCOPIC CHOLECYSTECTOMY INSTEAD OF AN OPEN GALLBLADDER SURGERY?
If you have had major surgery in the past with significant scarring (adhesions), you may not be a good candidate for a laparoscopic surgery. This is particularly true if your surgeries involved the upper abdomen. In addition, if you suffer from certain bleeding disorders, liver disease, or severe intra-abdominal infection, you may not be a good candidate for a laparoscopic surgery. If you are pregnant or near your due date or have another condition that may make it hard for your surgeon to view your gallbladder with a laparoscope, you may be advised to undergo open rather than laparoscopic surgery. WHAT ARE THE RISKS AND COMPLICATIONS OF GALLBLADDER SURGERY? Bleeding, infection, injury to surrounding organs (liver, blood vessels, nerves, pancreas, small bowel, colon, abdominal wall, etc), injury to common bile duct, blood clots, indigestion, nausea, vomiting, neuroma (painful spot), or numbness near the incision, incisional hernia, retained or continued formation of stones in the commo
