Why open rather than laproscopic gall bladder removal?

Abdominal obesity does make the procedure more labor intensive. However, that isn't always the sole reason for an open procedure. There can be other factors involved with the surgeons decision to open. Many times, like you suggested, it's the size, inflammation, location, risk factors, etc. that lead them in the direction of open incision.

I'm a surgeon's assistant...and yes obesity plays a big factor in laparoscopic cases. But, we would certainly attempt the laparoscopic approach. I mean, there ARE "extra long" trocars and laparoscopic instruments for such cases. And we would most likey make a supra-umbilical (above the belly button)incision for the camera to go into instead of the usual "in" the belly button incision to aid in visualization and to retreive the gallbladder. I would certainly get a 2nd opinion before signing up to run off and do an "open belly" gallbladder. I'm sure there may be more, underlying factors, that maybe you might be withholding; but still, a 2nd opinion would not hurt.

When I had my gall bladder removed last year my doctor had to open me up because it was inflamed really bad and had infection. He had to insert a drainage tube to get rid of the infection. I was told that typically, yes, doctors do prefer to do it laproscopically but it isn't always possible, especially with the gall bladder because they tend to enlarge when they get infected.

Obesity does make any kind of surgery more difficult, and it is sometimes not possible to navigage the scope through a lot of abdominal fat and tissue. If a person has adhesions (scar tissue inside) from previous surgeries, that can also make laparoscopy impossible. Of course, I suppose it's possible that your particular surgeon simply isn't trained to do this type of surgery, which requires an extra year or two of training on top of basic surgical training.

Oh no , don't worry at all .it is the most commonly performed operation these days , it usually has no complication , hospital stay is a day or two . Just make sure that the surgeon has sufficient experience , we should always hunt for the good doctor , then there is no problem. Ask ur mom to relax.

because he is a doctor and not you