Gallstone Surgery

Laparoscopic surgery for gallstone disease is the most common operation which Dr Petrou performs. These include laparoscopic cholecystectomy and laparoscopic bile duct exploration, in particular for failed ERCP. Gallstone disease is a very common problem to afflict Australians. Most stones are mixed with a predominantly cholesterol component. This means that the cause of gallstones is most likely secondary to an environmental agent, such as diet.

Before the laparoscopic era, surgery for gallstones used to be a morbid operation with large incisions and long hospital stays. With the technological improvements in laparoscopic surgery, a key hole approach is considered as the gold standard. Most experienced surgeons around Australia can now perform this surgery as a day case procedure, as very little pain is experienced after laparoscopic surgery.

Patients with symptomatic gallstone disease have a 60% rate of complications from their gallstones in the next 5 years from diagnosis. Common complications are cholecystitis, gallbladder perforation, cholangitis, acute pancreatitis, liver abscess and gallbladder cancer. Some of these complications are life threatening. Surgery for gallstone disease is the only proven definitive treatment modality.

Dr Petrou provides high volume laparoscopic gallstone surgery to patients in the NSW Mid North Coast at the Port Macquarie Private Hospital, Port Macquarie Base Hospital and Kempsey Hospital. Dr Petrou’s laparoscopic success rate is 98%, which means he experiences intraoperative difficulties with very few patients.

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