RISKS :
The major risk of gallbladder surgery is injury to the bile duct. The bile duct conveys bile from the liver to the intestine. This injury occurs about one to two times per thousand patients with the "open" operation and two to three times per thousand patients with the laparoscopic technique. Bile duct injury would require a major open procedure to repair the duct. The bile duct repair has a 5% risk of failure over time. Internal organs can be injured by the trocars (small tubes that permit instrument insertion through the four abdominal punctures) and bleeding can occur during the operation. These injuries could necessitate conversion of the laparoscopic operation to open surgery. There are also the "usual" risks associated with general anesthesia.
BENEFITS :
Most patients experience a forty-five minute operation, leave the hospital within twenty-four hours and gradually resume their normal activities over the next five to seven days. Only a few doses of pain medicine are needed after surgery and 30% of patients need no prescription pain medicine at all. The average time for patients to return to golf and tennis is less than two weeks. Bear in mind, however, that each person responds in his or her own way to surgery and anesthesia, and individual results may vary.
