Cholecystectomy

Gallbladder is located just below the liver. Its main function is to store bile which helps the body break down and digest fats. Bile liquid will be concentrated after gallbladder diseases and the deposition contains cholesterol and bile salts causing stones (Cholelithiasis) or infection of the gallbladder (Cholecystitis). Sudden pain is because of blocking the bile. To treat certain gallbladder problems, sometimes the organ must be surgically removed. These problems include:

  1. Biliary colicIt happens when something blocks the normal flow of bile from the gallbladder. One of the symptoms is pain, particularly after eating fatty foods. In this situation, surgery may be necessary..
  2. Acute cholecystitis It is a sudden inflammation of the gallbladder that causes severe abdominal pain. This disease occurs when bile becomes trapped in the gallbladder. The buildup of bile causes irritation and pressure in the gallbladder. This can lead to infection and a hole (perforation) in the organ.
Fever and shaking chills
Nausea and vomiting
Loss of appetite
Tenderness in the right abdomen
Pain that gets worse during a deep breath
Pain for more than 6 hours, particularly after meals
Jaundice, which causes yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes

Your doctor will do physical exams. Also blood tests may reveal higher levels of white blood cells, which suggest an infection, and elevated liver enzymes, which suggest a blockage or irritation of the gallbladder and bile ducts. Your doctor may order a radiology test to look for gallstones. Because the chemical composition of most gallstones makes them invisible on X-rays, other tests are used such as ultrasound and cholescintigraphy.

Ultrasound : This painless procedure uses sound waves to create images of the gallbladder and bile ducts. An ultrasound is usually the first (and often only) test needed to confirm that you have gallstones and cholecystitis. A gallbladder wall with a thickened appearance means you may have acute or chronic cholecystitis. Enlarged bile ducts suggest that a stone may have passed out of the gallbladder and into the common bile duct, causing a blockage.

Cholescintigraphy : This test looks for a blocked gallbladder or bile ducts. You are given an injection of a radioactive chemical that passes out of the blood into the bile ducts. A special camera takes pictures of the chemical’s path and can detect blockages in the flow of the chemical.

Cholecystectomy is the removal of the gallbladder due to stones which is one of the first laparoscopic surgeries performed on human. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy removes the gallbladder and gallstones through several small incisions in the abdomen. In emergency situations when the infection is severe, surgery may be more complicated and hospitalization period will be longer. Diabetic patients with gallbladder diseases should be operated immediately.

Preoperative preparation includes blood work, medical evaluation, chest x-ray and an EKG depending on your age and medical condition.
After midnight the night before the operation, you should not eat or drink anything except medications that your surgeon has told you are permissible to take with a sip of water the morning of surgery.
Drugs such as aspirin, blood thinners, anti-inflammatory medications (arthritis medications) and Vitamin E will need to be stopped temporarily for several days to a week prior to surgery.
It is recommended that you shower the night before or morning of the operation.
Quit smoking and arrange for any help you may need at home.
Move slowly and rest during the day in the first few days after surgery.
The patient may shower 48 hours after surgery. Gently wash the part of your body that has the stitches. When the area is dry, put on a clean, new bandage as directed.
Choose healthy foods from all the food groups including whole-grain bread, variety of fruits and vegetables, low-fat dairy products, and protein. Ask how many servings of fats, oils, and sweets you should have each day.
Have short light meals and increase drinking fluids. Do not completely stop consuming fatty foods instead gradually increase the intake. It is important to consult your dietician.
Contact your physician in the following cases:
You have chills, a cough, a sore throat, or feel weak and achy.
You have nausea or vomiting.
You have trouble having a bowel movement or passing urine.
You have chest pain or trouble breathing that is getting worse over time.