What is Single-Site Gallbladder Removal?

If you’re experiencing issues with your gallbladder – like gallstones, inflammation, dysfunction or infection – you may want to look into single-site gallbladder removal, also known as cholecystectomy.

Single-Site Gallbladder Surgery: How Does it Work?

This procedure, offered at Bethesda North Hospital, is robotic-assisted surgery done through one, small incision to virtually eliminate scarring.

Traditional gallbladder surgery involves making a large incision below the ribs, and, typically, laparoscopic surgery requires four incisions on the abdomen. "With the robot, you can be very precise in a very small area," explains Louis Thibodeaux MD, a general surgeon at the TriHealth Surgical Institute. "That translates into less trauma at the time of surgery, which makes the recovery a lot quicker, and there's a lot less pain."

The robot also drastically improves precision by filtering out any of the surgeon's hand tremors. "The robot filters out that shaking, so the surgeon moves and everything up there is solid as a rock," says John Bires CST, Robotics Specialty Leader at Bethesda North.

What’s the Benefit?

Single-site gallbladder removal offers several benefits for the patient, including:

• Faster recovery
• Less pain
• Reduced blood loss and complication
• Minimal scarring  

“The way the incision is done, after about three weeks of healing, you can’t tell,” Dr. Thibodeaux explains. “For cosmetic reasons, it’s very attractive for younger patients.”

Also, depending on the physical requirements of the patient’s job, most patients return to work within the week. “Usually, I do it on a Thursday or Friday, and by Monday, I would say 90 percent of people are back to work,” Dr. Thibodeaux points out.

Am I a Candidate?

Most people qualify for this type of surgery; however, surgery is not recommended for those:

• Who have had multiple abdominal surgeries in the past
• With a body mass index (BMI) above 30