Cholecystectomy
Introduction
A cholecystectomy is a surgical procedure to remove your gallbladder, a pear-shaped organ that sits just below your liver on the upper right side of your abdomen. Your gallbladder collects and stores bile, a digestive fluid produced in your liver.
Gallstones may cause intense pain in your abdomen. Sometimes, these gallstones move and block the flow of bile. The pain may focus in the right side of abdomen after eating greasy food and egg. These gallstones may also cause nausea, vomiting, fever and infection. The pain and jaundice appear if gallstones block the flow of the bile.
Cholecystectomy is performed by two kind of approach.
Minimally invasive cholecystectomy (Laparoscopic)
During a laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the surgeon makes four small incisions in your abdomen. A tube with a tiny video camera is inserted into your abdomen through one of the incisions. Your surgeon watches a video monitor in the operating room while using surgical tools inserted through the other incisions in your abdomen to remove your gallbladder.
Traditional (Open) cholecystectomy
During an open cholecystectomy, your surgeon makes a 6-inch (15-Cm) incision in your abdomen below your ribs on your right side. The muscle and tissue are pulled back to reveal your liver and gallbladder. Your surgeon removes the gallbladder.
The incision is sutured, and you're taken to a recovery area. An open cholecystectomy takes one or two hours.
Expect to spend two or three days in the hospital recovering. Usually, it may take four or six weeks to fully recover. Consultant with your doctor before doing or performing any hard activity or exercise.
Preparation before surgery
Refrain from eating or drinking for at least 8 hours or night before my surgery
Tell your doctor about all your medications and supplement you take, maybe your doctor asks you to stop taking them or change your surgery method
Caring after surgery
Walking and limited movement are generally good for a suitable blood circulation in your feet veins. Also it prevents making clot
In Laparoscopy method, start walking from few hours after surgery but in open surgery start from the next day after your surgery
Call your provider if you have any fever or chills, more pain around the incision site, swelling and intense weakness
Tell your doctor about using any medications or drugs.
Following your nutrition diet with eating less and using less fat in your meals
Warning
Low level diarrhea may be seen in some people after cholecystectomy, it improves little by little. But usually after cholecystectomy surgery, we have no symptoms of any digestive problems.
Complication
Cholecystectomy carries a small risk of complications including infections, bleeding, blood clots injury to nearby structures, such as the bile duct, liver and small intestine.
Call your doctor if you have any following symptoms:
Fever or chills
Redness, swelling, bleeding or other drainage from the incision site
More pain around the incision site
Belly or abdominal pain, cramping or swelling
Pain behind your breastbone
References
- Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal). Mayo Clinic.2015.
- Cholecystectomy. The John Hopkins Hospital.2015.
ISO 9001 Certification for Quality Management System &
Certification of Iran National Hospital Accreditation with Excellent Grade
Teaching Patients about
Cholecystectomy
Prepared by: Quality Improvement, Education and Research Office
Voice Costumer Service (For Complaints, compliments and comments)
SMS: 30001845
Pursuance: Hospital Management
Add: Iran, Mashhad, Shahid Mofatteh Street, Vahid Street, Vahid 3 Alley.
Phone: 32877001