Minimally invasive gallbladder surgery offered
PrintTheresa Finegan suffered from stomach pains intermittently for many years and didn’t know what was causing them. After a particularly painful attack, she was diagnosed with a poorly functioning gallbladder.
She met with Mark Tousignant, MD, a general surgeon at Backus Physician Services, who said she was a candidate for a new procedure where the gallbladder is removed through a single incision in the belly button, which leaves no visible scars.
Mrs. Finegan, 44, of Norwich, had the surgery May 7. She said she decided to try this type of same day surgery because of the quicker recovery and the lack of scarring. She said within a week she was back to her usual activity level.
“I definitely would recommend this to others if it is an option for them,” she said. “For me it was well worth having the surgery.”
Dr. Tousignant said there are different reasons a patient may need to have a cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal. The most common reason is pain secondary to gallstones, called biliary colic. The pain is usually in the right upper quadrant, typically 30 minutes to an hour after eating. Foods higher in fat content can trigger an attack. Some patients complain of pain in different locations, such as the upper right back and the right shoulder, or as a band-like pain across the upper abdomen.
Other reasons for the removal of the gallbladder are inflammation or poorly functioning gallbladder, which can cause pain similar to stones.
The gallbladder is a small pear-shaped muscular sack that acts as a storage tank for bile. The bile is made in the liver by liver cells and is sent through tiny ducts or canals to the duodenum (small intestine) and to the gallbladder. The gallbladder stores the bile to have it available in larger quantities for secretion when a meal is eaten.
The SILS laparoscopic cholecystectomy is a new procedure, which uses a laparoscopic port that can hold three instruments to be used through a single incision. Dr. Tousignant said only a handful of surgeons in Connecticut are using this technology, and he is the only one in southeastern Connecticut using it. As of early June, he had performed 10 cases using this procedure, which is not indicated for every patient.
“I think it is important for our patients to understand that Backus is committed to providing the latest techniques,” Dr. Tousignant said.