[GALL BLADDER SURGERY OPEN CHOLECYSTECTOMY]

Dating to the 1950s, this silent film documents an open gall bladder surgery or open cholecystectomy to remove the gallbladder and gallstones. The film shows most of the procedure but is missing the beginning portion. It begins with the neck of the gall bladder being gripped by a hemostat and the peritoneum dissection. It's unknown who performed the operation or where it took place.

Gallbladder removal surgery, also known as a cholecystectomy, is a very common procedure. The gallbladder is a small, pouch-like organ in the upper right part of your tummy. It stores bile, a fluid produced by the liver that helps break down fatty foods. Surgery to remove the gallbladder is usually carried out if you have painful gallstones.

These are small stones that can form in the gallbladder as a result of an imbalance in the substances that make up bile.