After Open Gallbladder Removal
Your doctor will discharge you from the hospital once your vital signs have stabilized and you show clinical signs of recovery without complications.
Hospital stays are typically longer after an open procedure. This is because open procedures are more invasive than laparoscopic procedures. Your doctor will want to make sure you arent having excessive bleeding, nausea, or pain. The medical staff will also monitor you for signs of infection, like fever or pus containing drainage at the surgical site.
According to the Mayo Clinic, youll typically spend up to three days in the hospital while you begin to recover. A full recovery from open gallbladder surgery could take about four to six weeks.
Some ways you can prevent complications after surgery include the following:
- Walk around frequently to prevent blood clots.
- Drink plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
- Dont lift more than 10 pounds for four to six weeks.
- Wash your hands before and after touching the area around your incision site.
- Change your bandages as directed.
- Avoid wearing tight clothing that could rub against the incision.
What Complications Can Occur
While there are risks associated with any kind of operation, the vast majority of laparoscopic gallbladder patients experience few or no complications and quickly return to normal activities
Complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy are infrequent, but include
- Unintended injury to adjacent structures such as the common bile duct or small bowel may occur and may require another surgical procedure to repair it
- Bile leakage into the abdomen from the tubular channels leading from the liver to the intestine may rarely occur
You Can Always Call Us At
Office Hours: M-F 9:30am-5:00pm
How long do I have to stay in Surgical Center after Gallbladder Removal Surgery and what is the recovery time?
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. People able to go home the same day as their surgery. In general, you can expect to go home once you’re able to eat and drink without pain and are able to walk unaided. It takes about a week to fully recover
What will happen if I donât removed Gallstones?
You may have more gallstone attacks. You may have episodes of inflammation or infection of the gallbladder, bile ducts, or pancreas. You may have jaundice and other symptoms caused by blockage of the common bile duct.
How much time will it take for Gallbladder Removal Surgery?
Many procedures take about an hour to perform for surgery. The rest of time is spent by a patient is to prepare for him/her for the surgery. Many patient leaves the hospital in about an hour after the surgery after the examination of their medical condition.
What are the early warning signs of gallbladder problems?
A gallbladder attack usually causes a sudden gnawing pain that gets worse. You may feel it in the upper right or center of your belly, in your back between your shoulder blades, or in your right shoulder. You might also vomit or have nausea. Pain usually lasts 20 minutes to an hour.
During the procedure
Depending on your situation, our surgeon will recommend one of two surgical approaches:
To prepare for a cholecystectomy, you may ask not to:
Cholecystectomy Results
Don’t Miss: Best Pillow For Side And Stomach Sleeper
What Happens Before Gallbladder Removal
A few weeks before surgery, you meet with your healthcare provider. At this appointment, you may:
- Get a blood test to make sure you’re healthy enough for surgery.
- Discuss what technique your surgeon will use and ask any questions.
- Receive instructions about when to stop eating and drinking before your operation.
- Talk about ways you can reduce your risk of postoperative complications, such as quitting smoking.
The Different Types Of Gallbladder Removal Surgeries
October 16, 2018 by Michael Koeplin, MD
Because your gallbladder is a non-essential organ, if problems develop, most times it is easier just to remove the organ altogether than to try and correct the issue and leave the gallbladder in place. Like many operations, there are a number of different ways surgeons can remove your gallbladder. Below, we take a closer look at the different types of operations that could be performed if you need gallbladder surgery.
You May Like: Stomach Hurts After I Eat
Why Does My Gallbladder Need To Be Removed
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.
Gallstones often cause no symptoms and you may not realise you have them, but occasionally they can block the flow of bile and irritate the gallbladder or pancreas .
This can cause symptoms such as:
- sudden and intense tummy pain
- feeling and being sick
- yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes
Surgery to remove the gallbladder is the most effective treatment in the vast majority of cases.
Days Before Your Surgery
Follow Your Healthcare Providers Instructions for Taking Aspirin
If you take aspirin or a medication that contains aspirin, you may need to change your dose or stop taking it 7 days before your surgery. Aspirin can cause bleeding.
Follow your healthcare providers instructions. Do not stop taking aspirin unless they tell you to.
For more information, read Common Medications Containing Aspirin, Other Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs , or Vitamin E.
Stop Taking Vitamin E, Multivitamins, Herbal Remedies, and Other Dietary Supplements
Stop taking vitamin E, multivitamins, herbal remedies, and other dietary supplements 7 days before your surgery. These things can cause bleeding.
If your healthcare provider gives you other instructions, follow those instead.
For more information, read Herbal Remedies and Cancer Treatment.
Read Also: Guta Tire Pressure Monitoring System
How Do Doctors Treat Gallbladder Problems
Taking the gallbladder out is usually the best way to treat gallbladder problems. You might get some relief from changing your diet. For example, eating less fat can help. But gallstones rarely go away on their own.
You might have heard about treatments to break up gallstones or make them melt away . Unfortunately, these do not usually work well.
Conversion To Open Cholecystectomy
Experts agree that many biliary injuries in laparoscopic cases are caused by difficulties seeing and identifying the anatomy clearly. If the surgeon has problems identifying anatomical structures, they might need to convert from laparoscopic to open cholecystectomy.
Peroperative Endoscopic Retrograde Cholangio-Pancreaticography / Laparo-endoscopic rendezvous technique
CBDS are found in 10-15% of patients during cholecystectomy when intraoperative cholangiography is routinely performed. There are several strategies to manage choledocholithiasis but the optimal method as well as the timing of treatment is still under debate.
Read Also: Leaky Gut Syndrome In Dogs
What To Expect At Gallbladder Surgery
If you are seen in our office, we will schedule your surgery one to three weeks ahead of time, depending on your schedule and surgeon availability. We may also need to order blood work, depending on your health and the information we already have.
Some patients will also need an appointment with anesthesiology prior to surgery.
What Are The Types Of Gallbladder Removal
Your surgeon may use open surgery or laparoscopic surgery to remove your gallbladder. With open surgery, your surgeon operates through one large incision. During laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon operates through a few small incisions. Laparoscopic surgery can lead to faster recovery, less pain and small scars.
Your surgeon may recommend open surgery if you cant have laparoscopic surgery. For example, if you have a lot of scar tissue on your abdomen, your surgeon may need to use an open technique. Sometimes, your surgeon may need to turn a laparoscopic surgery into an open one to see more clearly and remove your gallbladder safely.
Read Also: Why Does My Stomach Hurt Everyday
What Happens If The Operation Cannot Be Performed Or Completed By The Laparoscopic Method
In a small number of patients the laparoscopic method cannot be performed. Factors that may increase the possibility of choosing or converting to the open procedure may include obesity, a history of prior abdominal surgery causing dense scar tissue, inability to visualize organs or bleeding problems during the operation.
The decision to perform the open procedure is a judgment decision made either before or during the actual operation. When it is safest to convert the laparoscopic procedure to an open one, this is not a complication, but rather sound surgical judgment. The decision to convert to an open procedure is strictly based on patient safety.
Recovering After Your Surgery
This section will help you know what to expect after your surgery. Youll learn how to safely recover from your surgery both in the hospital and at home.
As you read through this section, write down questions to ask your healthcare provider.
What to expect
When you wake up after your surgery, youll be in the Post Anesthesia Care Unit .
Youll receive oxygen through a thin tube that rests below your nose called a nasal cannula. A nurse will be monitoring your body temperature, pulse, blood pressure, and oxygen levels.
You may have a urinary catheter in your bladder to monitor the amount of urine you are making. Youll also have compression boots on your lower legs to help your circulation.
You may have a pain pump called a patient-controlled analgesia device. For more information, read Patient-Controlled Analgesia . Your pain medication will be given through an IV line.
After your stay in the PACU, youll be taken to your hospital room. Soon after you arrive in your room, you will be helped out of bed and into a chair.
Your nurse will tell you how to recover from your surgery. Below are examples of ways you can help yourself recover safely.
Read Also: Liver Shrinking Diet Food List
What To Expect After Surgery
What Should I Expect after Gallbladder Removal Surgery ?
Going home
You can probably go home the day you have your surgery, or you might stay in the hospital overnight. You need to be able to drink liquids before you go home.
Will I be in pain?
You will feel some pain after surgery. Pain at the incision sites and in your abdomen is common. You might also have pain in your shoulders. This is from the air put into your abdomen during the operation. The shoulder pain should go away in 24 to 48 hours.
You can take non-prescription medications to relieve pain, unless your doctor tells you not to. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen are examples of non-prescription pain medications. Putting ice on your incisions can also help. Ask your doctor or nurse about the correct way to use ice.
Your surgeon might prescribe a small amount of narcotic pain medicine to help you with pain. Many people recover from surgery without taking any narcotic pain medicine, but some will need narcotics for a few days. If you have questions about pain after surgery, ask the surgeon or your nurses. They should be able to tell you how long the pain will last and what to expect.
You might feel sick to your stomach or throw up after your surgery. Having surgery and anesthesia can make this happen. You should feel better in a day or two. Tell your doctor or nurse if you keep vomiting or feeling nauseated.
Activities
You can probably go back to normal activity about a week after laparoscopic gallbladder removal.
What Is Gallbladder Removal
Gallbladder removal is a surgery to take out a small organ called the gallbladder. Another name for gallbladder removal is cholecystectomy .
If your gallbladder causes problems, you may have surgery to remove it. You may need to make some minor changes to your diet after a cholecystectomy. But you can live well without your gallbladder.
You May Like: How To Make Stomach Pain Go Away
How Should I Prepare For Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal
You will need a full physical examination. You might need some tests to make sure you are healthy enough for surgery.
The surgeon who will do your laparoscopic gallbladder removal will talk with you about the risks and benefits of surgery. Then you will sign a form saying you understand and agree to the operation. Your surgeons office will tell you what to do and avoid before surgery. The exact instructions depend on your surgeon, but here are some common things to do.
- Take a shower the night before surgery or the same morning. Your surgeon might ask you to use an antibiotic soap. Please do not shave your belly area.
- Stop eating and drinking at the time your doctor tells you before surgery.
- The morning of your surgery, you may take medications your doctor told you are allowed. Take them with just a sip of water.
- You might need to stop taking certain medicines before surgery. These include blood thinners, supplements, and medicines that affect your immune system. Talk to your surgeon when you schedule your laparoscopic gallbladder removal.
You will need someone to drive you home from surgery. You will also need someone to stay with you overnight. Ask your doctor or nurse how much help you might need.
What Is A Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is surgery to remove your gallbladder.
The surgeon makes a few small incisions on the right side of your abdomen . The surgeon uses one incision to insert a laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera on the end. This shows your gallbladder on a screen. The gallbladder then gets removed through another small incision.
A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less invasive than an open cholecystectomy. This other form of gallbladder removal involves a larger incision.
Don’t Miss: Foods To Help Your Gut
What Happens After Gallbladder Removal
After laparoscopic gallbladder removal, you usually return home the same day. You may have to stay in the hospital for a day or two after open surgery.
Someone needs to drive you home after gallbladder removal surgery. If you return home the same day as the operation, you should have someone stay with you for 24 hours.
Why Might I Need A Cholecystectomy
A cholecystectomy may be done if your gallbladder:
-
Has lumps of solid material
-
Is red or swollen , or infected
Gallbladder problems may cause pain which:
-
Is usually on the right side or middle of your upper belly
-
May be constant or may get worse after a heavy meal
-
May sometimes feel more like fullness than pain
-
May be felt in your back and in the tip of your right shoulder blade
Other symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, fever, and chills.
The symptoms of gallbladder problems may look like other health problems. Always see your healthcare provider to be sure.
Your healthcare provider may have other reasons to recommend a cholecystectomy.
Read Also: Sharp Pain Right Side Stomach
Who Needs To Have Their Gallbladder Removed
People who have gallstones may need gallbladder removal. Gallstones are small, pebble-like deposits that build up in your gallbladder. Gallstones are typically made of bile byproducts called cholesterol or bilirubin. The stones usually form because of an imbalance in the substances that create bile.
Some people dont feel gallstones or know they have them. Sometimes, gallstones block the flow of bile and affect your pancreas or gallbladder . You may have:
- Abdominal pain, especially in the upper right part of your belly.
- Nausea and vomiting.
Types Of Gallbladder Surgery
Doctors can remove your gallbladder in one of two ways:
Open surgery: During this procedure, your surgeon will make a 5- to 7-inch incision on your belly to take out your gallbladder. Youâll need open surgery if you have a bleeding disorder. You may also need it if you have severe gallbladder disease, are very overweight, or are in your last trimester of pregnancy.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy: Doctors also call this âkeyhole surgery.â Your surgeon doesnât make a big opening in your belly. Instead, they make four small cuts. They insert a very thin, flexible tube that contains a light and a tiny video camera into your belly. These help your surgeon see your gallbladder better. Next, theyâll insert special tools to remove the diseased organ.
For both types of surgery, youâll be given general anesthesia. This means youâll sleep through the procedure and wonât feel any pain while itâs being done.
Recommended Reading: Flat Stomach Workout Plan At Home
When To Seek Medical Attention:
When recovering from gallbladder surgery, be sure to contact your healthcare provider if you experience any of the following symptoms:
- Persistent or severe abdominal pain, cramping, or swelling
- Fever or chills
- Redness, swelling, bleeding, or abnormal drainage at the incision site
- Signs of jaundice
- No bowel movement or gas for three days
- Nausea or vomiting
What Are The Possible Complications Of Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal
You will probably go back to normal activities within one week. Complications are problems that happen during medical care or after it. Most people who have laparoscopic gallbladder removal have few complications or none at all.
Complications of laparoscopic gallbladder removal do not happen often. They can include bleeding, infection in the surgery area, hernias, blood clots, and heart problems. A hernia is when a small amount of your gut or other tissue bulges through the muscles that cover it.
You should also know that any surgery has the risk of hurting other body parts. This is not likely, but it is possible. Gallbladder surgery could hurt nearby areas such as the common bile duct, large intestine , or small intestine. You might need another surgery if this happens. It is also possible that bile might leak into the abdomen after gallbladder surgery.
Most complications from gallbladder surgery are rare, which means they almost never happen. If you are concerned about any possible complication, ask your surgeon.
Recommended Reading: Pancreatic Cancer Spread To Liver Life Expectancy
Open Gallbladder Removal Surgery
In some cases, you might need open surgery to remove your gallbladder. This is when we make 1 large cut rather than several small cuts.
In 5 out of 100 cases , we might have to turn a keyhole procedure into an open procedure. This happens if we find unexpected inflammation and scar tissue. Your doctor can give you more information about this.
