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Gallbladder Surgery
The gallbladder is a small organ located behind the liver that stores and concentrates bile, which can aid in digestion. When the gallbladder creates stones, these can cause a number of problems including biliary colic [pain], infection [cholecystitis], jaundice and pancreatitis [inflammation of the pancreas].
Removal is generally recommended when patients experience symptoms due to gallstones. These symptoms can include but are not limited to :
- Severe abdominal pain that can radiate to the back and between the shoulder blades
- Nausea and vomiting
- Bloating and belching
- Intestinal colic
Gallstones and cholecystitis can be easily diagnosed with ultrasound or CT scan, or other advanced tests such as cholescintigraphy [HIDA] scan.
Gallbladder surgery is considered the best option for gallstone disease. Most people live comfortably and do not need to change their diet and lifestyle following removal of their gallbladder. The liver generally makes enough bile every meal without the need for additional bile stores from the gallbladder.
This operation is performed via a laparoscopic technique, which is minimally invasive and most of the time involves one 1cm port incision around the umbilicus [for the camera and light source as well as gallbladder extraction] and 3 smaller 5mm incisions in the upper abdomen [for laparoscopic instruments]. Carbon dioxide gas is used to inflate the abdomen, and this can occasionally contribute to some shoulder blade pain post-operatively for a day or two. Most patients stay a night in hospital and go home the next day if they are feeling comfortable to do so.
All keyhole surgeries have a small risk of conversion to open surgery. This is about 1 in 500 gallbladder surgeries. There is also the risk of bleeding or infection inherent to all operations.
The main concern with gallbladder surgery is risk of injury to the bile duct, which is less than 1%. This can result in abdominal pain and infection and may require further surgery to resolve.
Dissolvable sutures are used to close skin. In general, these do not require removal. You can shower with the dressings on after 48 hours. If the outer opsite dressings become soiled or fall off, there is surgical steristrip tape underneath that should stay on. It is a good idea to keep the skin incisions covered for a minimum of 5-7 days. We will usually remove the dressings for you on your post-operative clinic review. A small amount of dried blood on the dressings are not of clinical concern.
Please avoid strenuous activities for 4 weeks following surgery and avoid heavy lifting [>5kg] or straining for 6 weeks. Try to avoid constipation by staying hydrated and including regular fruit and vegetables in your diet. If constipation is an issue for you, you might also consider taking over the counter laxatives such as Movicol, Coloxyl and Senna or lactulose during your recovery period.