PATIENT INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMMON DISEASES
Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy – Gallbladder Removal
What is Gallbladder?
The gallbladder is a small, pear-shaped sac located below your liver in the right upper abdomen. The liquid stored in the gallbladder is called bile. Bile is made in the liver and stored in the gallbldder until the body needs it. The gallbladder contracts and pushes the bile into the common bile duct that carries it to the small intestine, where it helps the digestion.
What causes gallstones?
Gallstones are due to cholesterol imabalance in the bile.
Problems due to gallstones
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Silent Gallstones
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Symptomatic
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Complicated
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They are detected because of sonography and cause no problems.
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Can be left alone.
Surgery is done if:
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You are a diabetic.
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The stone is larger than 2 cm.
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You have some other incidental abdominal surgery planned.
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There is transient right upper quadrant abdominal pain.
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The pain is sever and colicky and generally felt after meals.
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You feel better on an empty stomach.
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Swelling and infection of the gallbladder leading to fever, sustained pain and vomiting.
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Jaundice, when the stone passes into the common bile duct.
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Pancreatitis due to stone in the common bile duct.
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Pus, gangrene and perforation of the gallbladder.
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Investigations
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Blood tests, tests for fitness.
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Ultrasonography detects the location, number and size of gallstones as well as the condition of the gallbladder.
Treatment
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Silent stones need not be treated except as above.
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Stone dissolving agents are not to be used because the stones reoccur once such medicines are stopped.
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Surigcal removal of the entire gallbladder is the treatment of choice. Only stone removal or shock wave lithotripsy is not practiced because of recurrence of stones.
Timing of surgery
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In most cases, it is an elective (planned) procedure.
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In complicated cases as mentioned above, an emergency operation is required.
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In case of pancreatitis, the surgery is scheduled for 3 weeks after medical treatment for the same.
Laparoscopic cholecystectomy (removal of gallbladder)
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Laparoscopic surgery to remove the gallbladder is preferred in all cases. However, it can be successfully done in 95% cases.
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The advantage of a laparoscopic surgery is that you will have lesser pain and a shorter stay in the hospital than after an open surgery, which requires a much bigger incision across the abdomen.
SURGERY AFTER CARE
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Hospitalization is generally for 2 days.
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You can have a bath and walk about on the second day.
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Recovery and stitches removal after 7 days.
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There are no dietary restrictions. However, limiting fatty foods and diary products will be good.
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You can go back to normal life after 7 days. Gallstones cannot form again.
Recovery and activity schedule
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Time frame
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Recovery
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Activity schedule
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Up to 7 days |
Convalescence |
Slow and steady |
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7 days to 1 month |
99% |
Routine activities including driving, slow climbing, travelling, but no sports. |
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After 1 month |
100% |
No restriction on activities. |
Life after gallbladder surgery
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There are no after effects of gallbladder surgery. You can go back to your normal life.
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Stones cannot reoccur.
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There is no adverse effect on digestion.
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