HeMe #3 | Page 45

The cystic duct and the cystic artery should be identified. After making a small incision in the cystic duct a catheter is introduced to it and the dye will be introduced and visualization of the cystic duct will be performed on an XRay screen. If there are no visible gall stones in the duct the duct will be sealed with metallic clips and separated and with another metallic clip the cystic artery will be sealed and divided. Then the gallbladder will be removed from the bed of the liver with cautery device or laser. The removed gallbladder will be taken out with one of the incisions made. If any stones were present in the X-Ray visualization, these stones will be flushed through the bile duct to the duodenum where it will excrete with stools without making any problem. If this flushing method is not sufficient to remove the stones, the choledochoscope can be used to dilate the bile duct and to extract the stones out. Rarely if the stones are impacted a drain is left in place and later another surgical procedure called ERCP (Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio Pancreatography) will be carried out.