Surgical removal of the gallbladder is needed in 1 million people per year in the USA. The procedure is done by placing four tubes (cannula) from 5 to 10 mm through the abdominal wall. Air is placed in the abdominal cavity and a lighted scope is placed through one cannula. The space in the abdominal cavity can then be seen on a video screen. Thin retractors and dissecting instruments are placed through the other cannula and the gallbladder is removed using the video screen for vision. The gallbladder duct and the artery are usually occluded with clips or stitches.

In this study we propose to do the procedure though a single 13 mm incision placed at the umbilicus. This will be possible using a flexible endoscope with one or two working channels. The gallbladder will then be retracted using strings (sutures) attached to the gallbladder and brought out through the right side of the abdominal wall through a needle puncture site. The dissection will be done using flexible instruments (scissors, knives, dissectors) placed through the right working channel. A flexible grasper may be used in the left working channel to help with retraction.

This study evaluates the ability to do laparoscopic cholecystectomy with a single incision. This will provide the basis for future studies evaluating decreased pain and costs with single port cholecystectomy.