Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Gallbladder Removal

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy is minimally invasive surgery to remove the gallbladder. It helps people when gallstones cause inflammation, ... ThinkyoumayhaveCOVID-19? Findoutwhereyoucangettested Needavaccineorbooster? Nowschedulingforages6monthsandup ComingtoaClevelandCliniclocation? Visitationandmaskrequirements Home / HealthLibrary / Treatments&Procedures LaparoscopicCholecystectomy(GallbladderRemoval) Laparoscopiccholecystectomyisminimallyinvasivesurgerytoremovethegallbladder.Ithelpspeoplewhengallstonescauseinflammation,painorinfection.Thesurgeryinvolvesafewsmallincisions,andmostpeoplegohomethesamedayandsoonreturntonormalactivities.Callyourhealthcareproviderifyouhaveanyproblemsaftersurgery. Appointments216.444.7000 Appointments&Locations RequestanAppointment ContactUs Overview ProcedureDetails Risks/Benefits RecoveryandOutlook WhentoCalltheDoctor LaparoscopicCholecystectomy(GallbladderRemoval) Overview ProcedureDetails Risks/Benefits RecoveryandOutlook WhentoCalltheDoctor BackToTop Overview Whatisalaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Alaparoscopiccholecystectomyissurgerytoremoveyourgallbladder. Thesurgeonmakesafewsmallincisionsontherightsideofyourabdomen(belly).Thesurgeonusesoneincisiontoinsertalaparoscope,athintubewithacameraontheend.Thisshowsyourgallbladderonascreen.Thegallbladderthengetsremovedthroughanothersmallincision. Alaparoscopiccholecystectomyislessinvasivethananopencholecystectomy.Thisotherformofgallbladderremovalinvolvesalargerincision. Whatisthegallbladder? Thegallbladderisanorgantheshapeandsizeofasmallpear.Itstoresasubstancecalledbilemadebytheliver.Itkeepsthebileuntilthebodyneedsittodigestfattyfoods. Whoneedstohavegallbladderremoval? Alaparoscopiccholecystectomyhelpspeoplewithgallstonesthatarecausingpainandinfection. Gallstonesarecrystalsthatforminthegallbladder.Theycanblocktheflowofbileoutofthegallbladderintoyourdigestivesystem.Thisroadblockcausescholecystitis(inflammationofthegallbladder).Gallstonescanalsomovetootherpartsofthebodyandcauseproblems. Symptomsofgallstonesinclude: Feelingbloated. Fever. Jaundice(yellow-lookingskin). Nausea. Painintherightsideoftheabdomen,whichmayreachthebackortheshoulder. ProcedureDetails HowshouldIprepareforgallbladderremoval? Beforetheprocedure,yourhealthcareteamwillperformcertaintests,suchas: Abdominalultrasound. Bloodwork. Urinalysis(evaluationoftheurine). Theywillalsotalktoyouabout: Anymedicationsyouaretaking. Youroptionsforcontrollingpainduringandaftersurgery. Yoursurgeonmayaskyoutoavoidfoodandliquidforafewhoursbeforetheprocedure. Whathappensrightbeforelaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Youwillreceivegeneralanesthesiasothatyousleepandhavenopainduringtheprocedure.Onceyou’reout,yourhealthcareproviderswillplaceatubedownyourthroattohelpyoubreathe.They’llplaceanothertube—anIVline—inyourarmtodeliverfluidsandmedications. Whathappensduringlaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Laparoscopiccholecystectomytakesaboutanhourortwo.Asurgeonwillmakeafewsmallincisionsinyourabdomen.Thesurgeonwillinsertthin,hollowtubesintothoseincisions.Thesurgicalteamwillthenplacealaparoscopeandothersurgicaltoolsintothetubes. Yourteammaypumpcarbondioxideintoyourabdomen.Thisstepinflatesthesurgicalareaandmakesiteasiertoseeinside.Usingthespecialtools,thesurgeonwilldetachthegallbladderfromtherestofthebodyandremoveit.Theteamwillthenclosetheincisionswithstitches,surgicalclipsorsurgicalglue. Ifanycomplicationsoccurduringlaparoscopiccholecystectomy,thesurgeonmaydecidetouseanopencholecystectomyinstead.Thatprocedureinvolvesalargerincision. Whathappensafterlaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Yourteamwillwatchyouforafewhoursaftersurgery.Theywanttomakesureyouwakeupfromtheanesthesiawithoutcomplications.Theywillcheckyourheart,breathing,bloodpressureandabilitytourinate(pee). Risks/Benefits Whatarethebenefitsofgallbladderremoval? Removingthegallbladderwillstopthepainandtreattheinfectioncausedbygallstones.Itcanalsostopgallstonesfromcomingback. Ifgallstonesarenottreated,painandinfectioncangetworse.Thegallbladdermayburst,whichcanbelife-threatening. Whatarethebenefitsoflaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Yourhealthcareproviderorsurgeonwilldeterminewhetheropenorlaparoscopiccholecystectomyisrightforyou.Thelaparoscopicprocedurehasseveralbenefits: Lesspain. Lowerriskofcomplications. Quickerrecoveryandreturntoregularactivities. Smallerwoundsandscars. Whataretherisksorpossiblecomplicationsoflaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Likeanysurgery,laparoscopiccholecystectomyhassomerisks,buttheyarerare: Bileleakinginthebody. Bleeding. Complicationsfromanesthesia. Hernia. Injurytothebileducts,liverorintestines. Numbnessinthesurgicalarea. Peritonitis(inflammationandinfectionintheabdomen). Smallscarsfromtheincisions. Urinarytractinfection. RecoveryandOutlook Whatistherecoverytimeafterlaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Ifyoudon’thaveanycomplications,youcanusuallygohomethesamedayasyourlaparoscopiccholecystectomy.Withanopencholecystectomy,youmayhavetostayinthehospitalforadayortwo. WhatshouldIdototakecareofmyselfaftergallbladderremoval? Aftersurgery,dothefollowingtohelpyourselfrecover: Avoidliftingheavythings. Drinkplentyofwater. Eatfoodshighinfibertohelpyourbowelmovements(pooping). Followyourhealthcareprovider’sinstructionsabouttakingcareofyourwoundsandtakingmedications. Slowlyincreaseyouractivity. Walkalittlebiteverydaytopreventbloodclots. WhencanIgobacktonormalactivitiesafterlaparoscopiccholecystectomy? Withoutcomplications,youshouldbeabletodriveandeatnormallyinadayortwo.Youusuallycanreturntoworkandotherdailyactivitiesinaboutaweek,aslongastheydon’tinvolvelifting.Youmayneedaweekortwobeforeyouarephysicallyorsexuallyactive. WhentoCalltheDoctor WhenshouldIseekmedicalattentionaftergallbladderremoval? Afteryougohome,callyourhealthcareproviderrightawayifyoudevelopanyofthefollowing: Chills. Crampsinyourabdomenorseverepain. Highfever(over101degreesFahrenheit). Incisionproblems,likebleeding,swelling,rednessorafunnysmell. Nobowelmovementforthreedays. Vomiting. Yellowskin. AnotefromClevelandClinic Gallstonescanbeverypainfulanddangerous.Laparoscopiccholecystectomyremovesthegallbladderandpreventsgallstonesfromcomingback.Mostpeoplefullyrecoverfromtheminimallyinvasiveprocedureinjustafewweeks.Butcallyourhealthcareproviderifyouexperienceanyproblemsaftersurgery. 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