A cholecystectomy is a procedure to remove the gallbladder, an organ that aids in digestion. The two basic types of the procedure are open and laparoscopic. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy involves the insertion of a tube with a camera through an incision into the abdomen; smaller incisions are used to introduce surgical instruments to remove the gallbladder. An open cholecystectomy is a more invasive procedure involving an incision into the abdomen.