Gallbladder Surgery

Did you know that as many as 25 million Americans have gallstones? If you have gallstones and chronic upper abdominal pain or symptoms such as burping, indigestion, heartburn, you may be a candidate for the gallbladder surgery services available at the office of Thomas G. Zorc, MD. As an experienced surgeon, Dr. Zorc can evaluate your symptoms, confirm gallstones with ultrasound and if indicated remove the gallbladder to relieve pain and prevent complications of gallstones. He uses the latest minimally invasive surgical techniques to reduce your risk for post operative pain and support a faster recovery. Call the Chevy Chase, Maryland, office to schedule a gallbladder surgery consultation or request an appointment online today. 

What is gallbladder surgery?

Gallbladder surgery (cholecystectomy) is a procedure to remove your gallbladder, an organ in your abdomen that collects and stores bile from the liver. Bile is a fluid that aids in your digestive processes.

Dr. Zorc offers minimally invasive gallbladder surgery services for individuals aged 16 and up. Most patients will have same-day surgery and in some cases an overnight observation in the hospital.  He also provides comprehensive postsurgical care to ensure the best outcome.

His patient-centered approach to care supports your full recovery and gives you after-hours access to Dr. Zorc’s guidance for any post-surgical concerns. 

Why would I need gallbladder surgery?

You might be a candidate for the gallbladder surgery services available at the office of Thomas G. Zorc, MD, if you have chronic upper abdominal pain after eating and associated gallstones.  Sometimes patients also have pain radiating to the middle of the back and nausea associated with the pain. Using advanced diagnostic technologies like ultrasound imaging, Dr. Zorc evaluates the health and function of your gallbladder to determine if you’re a candidate for outpatient or inpatient surgery.

Dr. Zorc customizes surgical plans to address abdominal pain or other associated conditions such as:

• Gallbladder polyps
• Chronic gallbladder inflammation
• Stones in the gallbladder or bile ducts
• Pancreatitis (inflamed pancreas) caused by gallstones

What happens during gallbladder surgery?

If you’re having minimally invasive laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, Dr. Zorc makes small incisions in your abdomen to access your gallbladder. He inserts a slender tube with an attached camera into an incision and guides it to the surgical site. Dr. Zorc carefully separates the gallbladder from its attachments to the liver and the bile ducts and removes the entire gallbladder with the gallstones inside.

After laparoscopic gallbladder surgery, you can go home after a brief period of recovery. It can take a several days to a week or longer before you can go back to work and other activities.

During open gallbladder surgery (much less common), Dr. Zorc makes a larger incision in your abdomen to access and remove your gallbladder. You might need to spend a few days in the hospital after open surgery, so Dr. Zorc can monitor your recovery.

Call the office of Thomas G. Zorc, MD, to schedule a gallbladder surgery consultation or request an appointment online today.