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Biliary and Upper Abdominal Surgery in Geneva

Biliary and upper abdominal surgery focuses mainly on gallbladder disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia.
At Geneva Surgery, these procedures are planned with a robotic approach, precise anatomical assessment and a structured recovery pathway.

Gallbladder Surgery

Gallstones, cholecystitis and gallbladder polyps

Gallbladder disease mainly includes gallstones, gallbladder inflammation and selected gallbladder polyps. These conditions may cause right upper abdominal pain, digestive symptoms, acute cholecystitis, stone migration or biliary complications.
Not all gallstones require surgery. Surgery is considered in cases of recurrent pain, inflammation, complications, high-risk polyps or when the clinical risk profile supports preventive treatment.

Illustration of internal organs is on the man body against the gray background. peopel touching stomach painful suffering from enteritis. internal organs of the human body.

Robotic cholecystectomy

When surgery is indicated, treatment consists of removing the gallbladder: this is called cholecystectomy. At Geneva Surgery, the procedure is performed using a minimally invasive robotic approach.
Robotic surgery provides stable vision, precise instrumentation and refined dissection control, especially in inflammatory, anatomically difficult or urgent situations.

Biliary safety sequence

In robotic cholecystectomy, safety depends on progressive and reliable identification of biliary anatomy before any critical division. The sequence combines robotic exposure, ICG biliary fluorescence, intraoperative cholangiography and biliary anatomy validation.
ICG fluorescence provides a dynamic intraoperative view of the biliary structures. Intraoperative cholangiography adds complementary radiological confirmation of the biliary tree, duct clearance and absence of residual obstruction.
These tools do not replace each other: they work together to reinforce surgical safety, within a care model extended by a structured recovery pathway.

Recovery after cholecystectomy

Recovery is usually rapid. It is based on early mobilisation, resumption of a normal diet as tolerated and safe discharge according to defined clinical criteria. Most patients return to normal digestion without long-term dietary restrictions.

Frequently Asked Questions

Gallbladder and cholecystectomy

Gallbladder disease includes gallstones, gallbladder inflammation and selected gallbladder polyps. These conditions may be silent or cause pain, digestive symptoms and complications.

No. Asymptomatic gallstones do not systematically require surgery. Cholecystectomy is considered when stones cause recurrent pain, inflammation, complications or a specific risk of progression.

Cholecystectomy is generally recommended for larger polyps, growing lesions, symptomatic polyps or situations associated with increased oncological risk.

ICG provides dynamic visualisation of the biliary structures during surgery. It helps guide dissection, especially when inflammation or anatomical variation makes identification more difficult.

Intraoperative cholangiography provides radiological confirmation of biliary anatomy, duct clearance and absence of residual stone obstruction. It complements ICG without replacing it.

Yes. The gallbladder is not essential for digestion. Most patients resume a normal diet and normal digestive function after the procedure.

Gallstones are pieces of solid material that form in the gallbladder, a small hollow organ located beneath the liver. 3d rendering

Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease and Hiatal Hernia

Two related conditions, two different surgical logics

Gastroesophageal reflux disease and hiatal hernia are often associated, but they are not the same condition. Reflux reflects failure of the anti-reflux barrier between the stomach and the esophagus. Hiatal hernia is an anatomical condition in which part of the stomach, and sometimes other organs, moves through the diaphragm into the chest.
The surgical strategy depends on the dominant mechanism: persistent reflux, anatomical hernia, functional impairment, respiratory symptoms, swallowing difficulty or reduced quality of life.

When should surgery be discussed?

Reflux is most often treated medically. Surgery may be considered when symptoms persist despite well-conducted treatment, when long-term medication dependence becomes significant, or when a clinically relevant hiatal hernia is present.
For large or complex hiatal hernias, surgery aims to restore the anatomy of the hiatus, reposition herniated organs and reconstruct a stable esophagogastric junction.

Robotic reconstruction and functional stability

Robotic surgery allows precise dissection in a deep, mobile and functionally sensitive anatomical region. It supports hiatal reconstruction and helps adapt the technique to each patient’s anatomy.
The goal is not only to correct an anatomical defect, but to restore durable function: reflux control, eating comfort, stability of the esophagogastric junction and functional recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

Reflux and hiatal hernia

Gastroesophageal reflux disease occurs when gastric contents flow back into the esophagus. It may cause heartburn, regurgitation, chest discomfort, chronic cough or throat symptoms.

No. Most patients are treated with medication and lifestyle measures. Surgery is reserved for selected situations after clinical, anatomical and functional evaluation.

A hiatal hernia occurs when part of the stomach moves into the chest through the diaphragm. It may be associated with reflux or cause mechanical symptoms of its own.

Yes. Depending on its size and contents, it may cause chest pressure, shortness of breath, eating discomfort, swallowing difficulty or digestive symptoms, even without typical heartburn.

When indicated, surgery is performed using a robotic approach. The technique is adapted to the anatomy, symptoms and diagnostic findings, with the goal of stable and durable correction.

Structured Recovery After Upper Abdominal Surgery

Recovery is integrated into the surgical strategy. It combines procedure-adapted preparation, multimodal opioid-sparing pain management, early mobilisation, resumption of a normal diet as tolerated and structured postoperative monitoring.
The goal is safe, predictable and functional recovery, with a gradual return to daily activities according to tolerance and clinical context.

Biliary and Upper Abdominal Surgery in Geneva

Educational Resources

Selected videos of biliary and functional upper abdominal surgery are available on the Geneva Surgery YouTube channel. These materials are intended for professional surgical education and complement clinical information, without replacing individual medical consultation.

YOUTUBE CHANNEL

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