Gall Bladder Surgery – What You Need to Know

A gall bladder surgery is also known as cholecystectomy is an operation to remove the gallbladder from the body. It is done either by laparoscopy or through open surgery in which the surgeon makes an incision on the abdomen and removes the gallbladder after the bile ducts are tied off or cut out. This procedure can be performed both under general anesthesia, where you are unconscious during the surgery or under local anesthesia, where your upper body and abdominal area are numb and you remain awake throughout the entire procedure.

Gall bladder surgery is performed to remove your gall bladder and/or repair an obstruction in the bile duct. Gallstones are one of the most common causes of obstruction, but tumors or severe infection may also be responsible. Your surgeon will discuss the type of surgery that’s best for you, as well as what to expect during and after the procedure.

A gall bladder surgery should be avoided if at all possible. In this article, you will learn about indications, causes, signs, and symptoms of the gall bladder, how long is the operation, immediate complications, post-operation measures, and types of gall bladder surgery. So let’s discuss all these one by one…

What are gall stones?

Gallstones are round hard masses made up of different substances found in bile, a fluid that helps digest food. Usually, gallstones are small and stay in your gallbladder, and don’t cause any problems. But sometimes they can get larger and block your bile duct, causing pain or other complications. If you have symptoms of gallstones, it’s important to see your doctor for treatment options.

Gallstones are small, hard deposits that form in your gallbladder (GB). If a gallstone blocks your GB, or if it leaks bile into your GB and irritates it, you may have symptoms. These include upper right-side abdominal pain—like having a gas, heartburn, or a toothache. Depending on where they’re located in your GB, they can also cause nausea and vomiting.

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Signs and Symptoms of Gall Stones

Gall bladder surgery is performed on patients who have gallstones that cause acute attacks of pain in their abdomen or inflammation of their gallbladder. The main symptoms of a gallbladder attack are severe right upper abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, loss of appetite, and jaundice( Yellowish eyes). The stone may pass into a duct or get stuck in one. If it does not pass out, doctors can remove it through surgery.

There are different signs and symptoms associated with gall stones. A person suffering from gall stones may experience sudden, intense bouts of sharp pain in his or her abdomen that last for about half an hour at a time. This occurs because there is an obstruction in one of the bile ducts where these stones usually form due to changes in your diet.

How Long Is The Gall Bladder Surgery Operation?

Gall bladder surgery takes about 1-2 hours. It can be done through a laparoscope (i.e., by keyhole surgery), which means there is less risk of infection and recovery is quicker than it would be after open surgery. Most people are home within 24 hours of having keyhole gall bladder removal, with only mild discomfort.

Immediate Complications of Gall Bladder Surgery

While gall bladder surgery is considered a safe operation, it’s still associated with some immediate complications. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, most of these issues can be managed effectively and will go away on their own, so they don’t necessarily mean that you need surgery again. However, if symptoms persist, you should see your doctor right away.

Post Operation Measures of Gall Bladder Surgery

After surgery, you will be asked to keep your incision area clean by gently cleaning it with a damp cloth and warm water. You may use an antibiotic ointment if necessary but avoid applying petroleum jelly or lotions that can trap heat in your skin. If possible, do not apply any make-up or spray-on deodorant until at least seven days after surgery.  Constipation is a very common side effect of gall bladder removal surgery, so ensure that you are getting enough fiber as you recover. Though soreness is unavoidable for several days after recovering from gall bladder surgery, keep your activity level low and consult your doctor if unusual pain persists.

Immediately after gall bladder surgery, your doctor will put you on a clear liquid diet. This may last anywhere from two days to two weeks, depending on your body’s ability to absorb nutrients. Take all medications as directed by your surgeon and do not resume eating solid foods until told otherwise. Be sure to get plenty of rest—you’ll likely be pretty sore for about a week following surgery, although full recovery can take six weeks or more in some cases. One of the main reasons for taking it easy is so that your digestive system is working at peak efficiency post-op; if things don’t go according to plan, it will help protect against serious complications.

Types of Gall Bladder Surgeries

The two most common types of gall bladder surgery are open and laparoscopic. Laparoscopic surgery is less invasive but requires good general health and that you have a small gall bladder. It involves three small incisions being made through which instruments are inserted so that your surgeon can operate on your gall bladder without making a large cut in your abdominal wall. Open surgery is more traditional, with an incision on your abdomen for entering. It requires good general health and can be used for people who need their entire gallbladder removed or if you have complications such as calcification in your gallbladder or infection in other organs of your body.

Laparoscopic operation is where a small tube is inserted through a small incision in your abdomen, while in open surgery an 8 to 10-inch incision is made on your abdomen and a large instrument called a retractor holds back your abdominal muscles so that surgeons can perform the operation easily. Laparoscopic procedures have gained popularity over the years as they provide faster recovery, lesser scarring with less pain. It has been suggested that laparoscopic surgeries do not reduce complications like infections or internal bleeding. It’s also important to talk about keyhole surgery as it is another type of laparoscopic procedure for gall bladder removal.

1. Laparoscopic surgery

   

   In laparoscopic surgery, your surgeon makes small incisions in your abdomen and inserts a camera attached to a tube (cannula) into your body. This allows him or her to see internal organs on a TV monitor in order to perform surgery. This is called minimally invasive because there are fewer cuts and bruises than with open surgery. It also means less pain after surgery and faster recovery times for you

   This type of surgery is minimally invasive and uses a camera and surgical instruments inserted through small incisions in your abdomen. This approach can reduce pain, shorten recovery time, and improve long-term outcomes compared with traditional open surgery.

2. Open surgery

To remove your gall bladder with open surgery, a surgeon makes an incision in your abdomen and removes your gall bladder. Many surgeons use laparoscopic surgery for removing a diseased gall bladder, which makes it easier for them to remove and repair any nearby damage in your bile ducts. Some patients opt for laparoscopic surgery because it takes less time than open surgery. With either type of surgery, you’ll need about 2 weeks of rest and recovery before returning to normal activities

A surgeon will remove your gall bladder through an incision in your abdomen. Gall bladder removal is done under general anesthesia and takes about one hour to complete.