This leaflet gives you information that will help you decide whether to have keyhole surgery
for gallstones.Gallstones are extremely common. They occur in all shapes and sizes and numbers. They may cause no symptoms at all or may cause pain and discomfort after eating, especially fat containing foods and they may cause yellow jaundice.
They are formed in the gall bladder (a sac which hangs from the bottom of the liver).

The surgeon performs the opearation by watching the instruments on a TV monitor. The gall bladder ducts and vessels are clipped with tiny titanium clips and the gallbladder removed through the cut underneath your chest. The operation takes approximately 30-60 minutes.

Photographs taken during Keyhole Gall Bladder Surgery

The Key hole Surgery Procedure

The gallbladder can be removed by keyhole surgery. Just before the operation you will be given a general anaesthetic. After this four small incisions (5-12mm in length) will be made
on the skin of your abdomen. A tiny TV camera and delicate operating instruments will be inserted through these incisions.

Benefits of Key Hole Surgery

A 24 to 48 hour stay in Hospital. Some patients are suitable for day case surgery.
Return to work and normal activities within 3 to 14 days after surgery.
Minimal pain from the wounds and the scars are almost invisible.

After the operation

After the Keyhole operation you will wake up very quickly and you may drink almost immediately. Only a few stitches are used on the skin and there are no restrictions on
eating, driving etc. when you return home. It is normal to feel some discomfort in the
shoulders for up to 48 hours after surgery and there may be some bruising around the four small incisions on your abdomen.

Risks of Key Hole Surgery

There are a few risks involved with keyhole surgery. A study of 3000 patients undertaken by The Royal College of Surgeions indicated that the overall complication rate following key hole surgery was half that experienced by patients undergoing 'open' surgery, although there was a slightly greater risk (0.33%) of operative injury to the main bile duct during key hole surgery.

Not everyone is suitable for keyhole surgery. Some patients may require the more traditional open surgery. On occasion it may be necessary for the surgeon to revert to 'open' surgery during a keyhole surgical procedure. This might occur because the gall bladder is inflamed, because of anatomical abnormalities or because of bleeding. If this is the case your stay in hospital may last 3-5 days and recovery will take between 3 to 6 weeks. Our experience between 1% and 5% of patients have to convert to 'open' surgery.

Outcome of surgery >>