Hepatobiliary Surgery Program

The Hepatobiliary Surgery Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Digestive Disease Institute provides specialized treatment for diseases of the liver, bile duct, gallbladder, and pancreas. Surgery on these organs of the gastrointestinal tract is referred to as hepatopancreatobiliary (HPB) surgery.

Hepatobiliary and pancreatic surgery are often complex and require a team of highly specialized surgeons specifically trained in hepatobiliary surgery and surgical oncology.

What We Treat

The hepatobiliary surgery team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi are experts in the management of complex liver, biliary, and pancreatic diseases. The Hepatobiliary Surgery Program treats a wide variety of conditions, including:

• Pancreatitis
• Pancreatic pseudocysts
• Gallstones
• Liver cancer
• Pancreatic cancer
• Cancer of the gall bladder

Common symptoms of hepatobiliary and pancreatic system conditions include:

• Pain in the upper abdomen
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Loss of appetite
• Swelling of abdomen
• Jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes)

Diagnosis for Hepatobiliary Surgery

Patients referred to the hepatobiliary team at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi will meet surgeons for an initial consultation. This will involve a discussion of symptoms and medical history. Following this initial consultation, diagnostic tests are necessary before a definitive diagnosis can be made.

Tests can include:

• Biopsy: A procedure used to collect a sample of abnormal tissue growth. This sample is tested for cancerous cells.
• Ultrasound: An imaging procedure that uses sound waves to produce an image of organs inside the body. These images are used to detect disorders and conditions of the liver, bile, duct, gallbladder, and pancreas.
• CT scan: An imaging procedure that uses an x-ray tube to take images from many different angles. These images are used to detect injury and/or disease in the liver, bile duct, gallbladder, and pancreas.
• MRI: An imaging procedure that uses a magnetic field to produce images of the soft tissues of the body and the organs. These images are used to diagnose diseases of the liver, bile duct, gallbladder, and pancreas; and lesions of the liver.
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP): A procedure that uses a thin, flexible tube to examine the health of the pancreas and bile ducts.

Treatment with Hepatobiliary Surgery

The team at the Hepatobiliary Surgery Program at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s Digestive Disease Institute are highly trained specialists who are experts in treatment and surgery for diseases of the hepatobiliary and pancreatic systems.

Our multidisciplinary team of surgeons work together to develop the best treatment plan for each individual patient. Hepatobiliary surgeons are skilled and experienced in traditional open surgery techniques as well as minimally invasive techniques, like laparoscopic and robotic surgery. Candidates for minimally invasive, robotically-assisted procedures can benefit from Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi’s leading expertise in this field with surgeries that result in smaller scars, faster recovery, reduced pain, and less need for pain medication.