Open
gallbladder removal surgery

A common condition noticed among individuals above the age of 40 is the formation of stones in the gallbladder, these small stones are formed due to deposits over a long period of time; it is a very common condition and can be treated.

If these stones are left untreated for a long time they might get into the bile duct and cause further complications that need to be avoided.

A very common symptom of Gallstones that is noticed among the patients is severe pain in the abdomen.

Patients also have nausea and vomiting and indigestion.

If the stones block the bile duct they might also suffer from jaundice and in some cases with fever as well.

When the patients complain about the pain in the abdomen and have the symptoms mentioned above the doctors usually ask for the patient to get an ultrasound or a CT scan.

In some cases they might also ask the patient to get a HIDA scan.

Gallstones can be treated with medications, but removal of the gallbladder is usually the treatment most doctors recommend.

Some treatments also involve melting away the deposits through medications but they are not found to be effective as deposits can reoccur.

The doctor will recommend a complete physical examination in order to check if the patient is healthy enough for the surgery.

On the day of the surgery the doctor will recommend the patient to stop eating and consuming liquids a few hours before the operation.

If the patient is taking supplements, blood thinners and medications for any other medical conditions they will be asked to not take it before the procedure.

If you have a habit of smoking you will be advised to stop smoking a few weeks prior to the date of the operation as smoking may result in other complications or may cause infections resulting in failure of the procedure. Quitting smoking enhances the chances of success.

A general anesthesia will be administered to the patient and as a result he/she will be asleep during the surgery.

During the surgery the surgeon makes a 15cm (6inch) incision on the right side of the patient’s abdomen below the ribs.

Then by making the way through other muscle tissues the gallbladder is reached and removed.

The whole procedure takes about 2 to 3 hours.

• The recovery period is 2 to 3 weeks, the doctor will advise complete bed rest.
• During the stay at the hospital the staff will provide proper wound care.
• Patients will be prescribed pain killers and will be monitored by the doctor for 2 to 3 weeks with regular appointments.
• After the surgery temperature, pulse, respiration, blood pressure and wound site are carefully monitored by the doctor to avoid any post-surgery complications.
• A drain might be inserted at the wound sight.
• Catheter might be inserted to drain urine as the patient might not be able to move for a few days.
• Patient is given intravenous fluid as he/she may not be able to eat for a few days.
• One might feel nauseated post-surgery, this might be due to anesthesia administered for the purpose of the surgery.