Cholecystectomy, removal of the gallbladder, is one of the most common major operations done in the United States. About 700,000 operations are done annually, usually because of symptoms or complications caused by stones which have developed in the gallbladder. Bile is made in the liver and is used to eliminate toxins from the body and help digest food. The normal function of the gallbladder is to store and concentrate the bile. Sometimes the various constituents of the bile are not present in the right concentrations and this leads to the formation of gallstones. If the stones are not causing any symptoms then surgery is usually not recommended, but most of the time symptoms eventually develop and worsen until the gallbladder is removed. The most classic symptom is pain in the right upper abdomen shooting around to the right shoulder blade, sometimes with nausea and vomiting, and particularly occurring after eating. Many patients also notice bloating and fatty food intolerance, most commonly after a meal. More serious problems can develop, such as infection of the gallbladder(acute cholecystitis), obstructive jaundice, and pancreatitis. The only reliable treatment for gallbladder disease is complete removal of the gallbladder. This does not produce any difficulty with digestion and can usually (97%) be done by a method known as laparoscopy.

Laparoscopy is a method of performing surgical operations through small incisions, each usually less than half an inch in length. Four of these incisions are usually required for laparoscopic gallbladder surgery. Carbon dioxide gas, which is safe and rapidly absorbed from body tissues, is used to fill the abdominal cavity and provide a working space, then hollow tubes (trochars) which are ¼ to ½ inches in diameter are placed to allow the surgeon to manipulate instruments while visualizing the inside of the abdomen on a video monitor. It usually takes 30-40 minutes to remove the gallbladder. The operation is done under general anesthesia and most patients can go home later the same day. Full physical activity can usually be resumed about one week later, and there are no known side effects when the gallbladder is absent.

	Dr. Baghai completed her Doctorate of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco. Her general surgery training was completed at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. She subsequently went to Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia to complete a two year fellowship in advanced minimally invasive GI surgery and Bariatric surgery. Dr. Baghai’s expertise is in the area of minimally invasive abdominal surgery, which besides Bariatric (weight loss) surgery includes surgery for gastroesophageal reflux disease, colorectal disease, complex hernias, and gastrointestinal malignancies. She also has a special interest in incorporating new technologies such as robotics into our minimally invasive gastrointestinal surgery program.
	Dr. Camel received his general surgery training at both the Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, TX and L.A. County/USC medical center in Los Angeles, CA. He also spent one year in a Pediatric Surgery Fellowship at L.A. Children’s Hospital. After his training, he became one of the busiest general surgeons in Ventura County excelling in advance laparoscopic and radioguided surgery. He has now relocated and brought his new family to Torrance joining the Association of South Bay Surgeons. He has special interest in gastroesophageal reflux disease, and advance laparoscopic, endocrine, cancer, and breast surgery.
	After completion of his surgical residency, Dr. Dumke did a trauma fellowship at the Maryland Institute of Emergency Medicine in Baltimore, Maryland under the direction of Dr. Adam Cauley. Dr. Dumke then entered the United States Army Medical Corp and was the director of the trauma unit at William Beaumont Army Medical Center. Since discharge from the army Dr. Dumke has maintained a general and vascular surgical practice in the south bay area. Dr. Dumke joined the Association of South Bay Surgeons in 2002.
	After completion of his General Surgery training at Harbor/UCLA Medical Center, Dr. Fisher spent one year in an Oncological Surgery fellowship at City of Hope Medical Center, where he obtained additional experience in performing more extensive operations for treating cancer. He has been in a busy surgical practice in our area for the past twenty-five years. Dr. Fisher has been active in numerous hospital committees and tumor boards and has a special interest in breast surgery. Dr. Fisher is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons and a charter member of the American Society of General Surgeons.
	Dr. Friedlander was appointed Clinical Instructor of Surgery at the University of Southern California in 1999. Throughout her career she has developed and published a variety of scientific studies in well-known medical journals. Dr. Friedlander is a member of the Society of American Gastrointestinal Endoscopic Surgeons, the Society of Laparoscopic Surgeons, and the American Medical Association. She has also presented several research projects at national medical conferences. Now in clinical practice, she enjoys all aspects of general surgery and primarily focuses on two areas of expertise: breast and laparoscopic surgery.
	After obtaining his medical degree at Albany Medical College in Albany, New York, where he was a scholarship recipient, Dr. Lam received his surgical training from the world renowned Barnes Hospital at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. While at Barnes Hospital, Dr. Lam trained exclusively in General, Vascular, and Thoracic Surgery. He utilized that experience as the Chief of Surgery at Hawthorne Community Medical Group, where he delivered all aspects of General Surgery to thousands of patients in Southern California. Dr. Lam is a diplomat of the Medical Board of Surgery and a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons. He continues to further the education of medical students and fellow colleagues by being a volunteer faculty member at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center for over 20 years.
	After finishing General Surgery training in New York, Dr. Schiff relocated and opened a General Surgery practice in Torrance. In the past 20 years he has had extensive experience in the surgical treatment of a variety of problems in the field of general surgery, including laparoscopy, hernias, breast surgery and cancer. Dr. Schiff has been very active in hospital committee work as well as taking a leadership role in organized medicine at the local and state level.
	Dr. Takahashi completed her general surgery training at LA County + USC Medical Center. During her residency at USC she spent an additional year in fellowship training in Trauma and Critical Care. She then went on to UCLA where she spent a year focused on Minimally Invasive and Bariatric Surgery. She is Board Certified in General Surgery and Surgical Critical Care. She is a Candidate member of the American College of Surgeons, Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons (SAGES), and the American Society of Bariatric Surgeons (ASBS). She has recently joined Association of South Bay Surgeons. Her special interests include advanced laparoscopic and bariatric surgery.