Cholecystectomy | Johns Hopkins Medicine

A cholecystectomy is surgery to remove your gallbladder. The gallbladder is a small organ under your liver. It is on the upper right side of your belly or ... SkipNavigation COVID-19Updates Masksarerequiredinsideallofourcarefacilities.Wearevaccinatingalleligiblepatients.Learnmore: Vaccines,Boosters&AdditionalDoses|Testing|PatientCare|VisitorGuidelines|Coronavirus|EmailAlerts FindmoreCOVID-19testinglocationsonMaryland.gov. HealthHome Treatments,TestsandTherapies Cholecystectomy ShareonFacebook ShareonTwitter ShareonLinkedin ShareonPinterest ShareviaEmail PrintthisPage Whatisacholecystectomy? Acholecystectomyissurgerytoremoveyourgallbladder. Thegallbladderisasmallorganunderyourliver.Itisontheupperrightsideofyourbellyorabdomen.Thegallbladderstoresadigestivejuicecalledbilewhichismadeintheliver. Thereare2typesofsurgerytoremovethegallbladder: Open(traditional)method.Inthismethod,1cut(incision)about4to6incheslongismadeintheupperright-handsideofyourbelly.Thesurgeonfindsthegallbladderandtakesitoutthroughtheincision. Laparoscopicmethod.Thismethoduses3to4verysmallincisions.Itusesalong,thintubecalledalaparoscope.Thetubehasatinyvideocameraandsurgicaltools.Thetube,cameraandtoolsareputinthroughtheincisions.ThesurgeondoesthesurgerywhilelookingataTVmonitor.Thegallbladderisremovedthrough1oftheincisions. Alaparoscopiccholecystectomyislessinvasive.Thatmeansitusesverysmallincisionsinyourbelly.Thereislessbleeding.Therecoverytimeisusuallyshorterthananopensurgery. Insomecasesthelaparoscopemayshowthatyourgallbladderisverydiseased.Oritmayshowotherproblems.Thenthesurgeonmayhavetouseanopensurgerymethodtoremoveyourgallbladdersafely. WhymightIneedacholecystectomy? Acholecystectomymaybedoneifyourgallbladder: Haslumpsofsolidmaterial(gallstones) Isredorswollen(inflamed),orinfected(cholecystitis) Iscancerous Gallbladderproblemsmaycausepainwhich: Isusuallyontherightsideormiddleofyourupperbelly Maybeconstantormaygetworseafteraheavymeal Maysometimesfeelmorelikefullnessthanpain Maybefeltinyourbackandinthetipofyourrightshoulderblade Othersymptomsmayincludenausea,vomiting,fever,andchills. Thesymptomsofgallbladderproblemsmaylooklikeotherhealthproblems.Alwaysseeyourhealthcareprovidertobesure. Yourhealthcareprovidermayhaveotherreasonstorecommendacholecystectomy. Whataretherisksofacholecystectomy? Somepossiblecomplicationsofacholecystectomymayinclude: Bleeding Infection Injurytothetube(thebileduct)thatcarriesbilefromthegallbladdertothesmallintestine Liverinjury Scarsandanumbfeelingattheincisionsite Abulgingoforganortissue(ahernia)attheincisionsite Duringalaparoscopicprocedure,surgicaltoolsareputintoyourbelly.Thismayhurtyourintestinesorbloodvessels. Youmayhaveotherrisksthatareuniquetoyou.Besuretodiscussanyconcernswithyourhealthcareproviderbeforetheprocedure. HowdoIgetreadyforacholecystectomy? Yourhealthcareproviderwillexplaintheproceduretoyou.Askhimorheranyquestionsyouhave. Youmaybeaskedtosignaconsentformthatgivespermissionfortheprocedure.Readtheformcarefullyandaskquestionsifanythingisnotclear. Yourproviderwillaskquestionsaboutyourpasthealth.Heorshemayalsogiveyouaphysicalexam.Thisistomakesureyouareingoodhealthbeforetheprocedure.Youmayalsoneedbloodtestsandotherdiagnostictests. Youmustnoteatordrinkfor8hoursbeforetheprocedure.Thisoftenmeansnofoodordrinkaftermidnight. Tellyourproviderifyouarepregnantorthinkyoumaybepregnant. Tellyourproviderifyouaresensitivetoorallergictoanymedicines,latex,tape,andanesthesiamedicines(localandgeneral). Tellyourprovideraboutallthemedicinesyoutake.Thisincludesbothover-the-counterandprescriptionmedicines.Italsoincludesvitamins,herbs,andothersupplements. Tellyourproviderifyouhaveahistoryofbleedingdisorders.Letyourproviderknowifyouaretakinganyblood-thinningmedicines,aspirin,ibuprofen,orothermedicinesthataffectbloodclotting.Youmayneedtostoptakingthesemedicinesbeforetheprocedure. Ifthisisanoutpatientprocedure,youwillneedtohavesomeonedriveyouhomeafterward.Youwon’tbeabletodrivebecauseofthemedicinegiventorelaxyoubeforeandduringtheprocedure. Followanyotherinstructionsyourprovidergivesyoutogetready. Whathappensduringacholecystectomy? Youmayhaveacholecystectomyasanoutpatientoraspartofyourstayinahospital.Thewaythesurgeryisdonemayvarydependingonyourconditionandyourhealthcareprovider'spractices. Acholecystectomyisgenerallydonewhileyouaregivenmedicinestoputyouintoadeepsleep(undergeneralanesthesia). Generally,acholecystectomyfollowsthisprocess: Youwillbeaskedtotakeoffanyjewelryorotherobjectsthatmightinterfereduringsurgery. Youwillbeaskedtoremoveclothingandbegivenagowntowear. Anintravenous(IV)linewillbeputinyourarmorhand. Youwillbeplacedonyourbackontheoperatingtable.Theanesthesiawillbestarted. Atubewillbeputdownyourthroattohelpyoubreathe.Theanesthesiologistwillcheckyourheartrate,bloodpressure,breathing,andbloodoxygenlevelduringthesurgery. Ifthereisalotofhairatthesurgicalsite,itmaybeclippedoff. Theskinoverthesurgicalsitewillbecleanedwithasterile(antiseptic)solution. Openmethodcholecystectomy Anincisionwillbemade.Theincisionmayslantunderyourribsontherightsideofyourabdomen.Oritmaybemadeintheupperpartofyourabdomen. Yourgallbladderisremoved. Insomecases,1ormoredrainsmaybeputintotheincision.Thisallowsdrainageoffluidsorpus. Laparoscopicmethodcholecystectomy About3or4smallincisionswillbemadeinyourabdomen.Carbondioxidegaswillbeputintoyourabdomensothatitswellsup.Thisletsthegallbladderandnearbyorgansbeeasilyseen. Thelaparoscopewillbeputintoanincision.Surgicaltoolswillbeputthroughtheotherincisionstoremoveyourgallbladder. Whenthesurgeryisdone,thelaparoscopeandtoolsareremoved.Thecarbondioxidegasisletoutthroughtheincisions.Mostofitwillbereabsorbedbyyourbody. Procedurecompletion,bothmethods Thegallbladderwillbesenttoalabfortesting Theincisionswillbeclosedwithstitchesorsurgicalstaples Asterilebandageordressingoradhesivestripswillbeusedtocoverthewounds Whathappensafteracholecystectomy? Inthehospital Aftertheprocedure,youwillbetakentotherecoveryroomtobewatched.Yourrecoveryprocesswilldependonthetypeofsurgeryandthetypeofanesthesiayouhad.Onceyourbloodpressure,pulse,andbreathingarestableandyouareawakeandalert,youwillbetakentoyourhospitalroom. Alaparoscopiccholecystectomymaybedoneonanoutpatientbasis.Inthiscase,youmaybedischargedhomefromtherecoveryroom. Youwillgetpainmedicineasneeded.Anursemaygiveittoyou.OryoumaygiveittoyourselfthroughadeviceconnectedtoyourIV(intravenous)line. Youmayhaveathinplastictubethatgoesthroughyournoseintoyourstomach.Thisistoremoveairthatyouswallow.Thetubewillbetakenoutwhenyourbowelsareworkingnormally.Youwon’tbeabletoeatordrinkuntilthetubeisremoved. Youmayhave1ormoredrainsintheincisionifanopenprocedurewasdone.Thedrainswillberemovedinadayorso.Youmightbedischargedwiththedrainstillinandcoveredwithadressing.Followyourprovider’sinstructionsfortakingcareofit. Youwillbeaskedtogetoutofbedafewhoursafteralaparoscopicprocedureorbythenextdayafteranopenprocedure. Dependingonyoursituation,youmaybegivenliquidstodrinkafewhoursaftersurgery.Youwillslowlybeabletoeatmoresolidfoodsastolerated. Arrangementswillbemadeforafollow-upvisitwithyourprovider.Thisisusually2to3weeksaftersurgery. Athome Onceyouarehome,it’simportanttokeeptheincisioncleananddry.Yourproviderwillgiveyouspecificbathinginstructions.Ifstitchesorsurgicalstaplesareused,theywillberemovedduringafollow-upofficevisit.Ifadhesivestripsareused,theyshouldbekeptdryandusuallywillfalloffwithinafewdays. Theincisionandyourabdominalmusclesmayache,especiallyafterlongperiodsofstanding.Ifyouhadalaparoscopicsurgery,youmayfeelpainfromanycarbondioxidegasstillinyourbelly.Thispainmaylastforafewdays.Itshouldfeelabitbettereachday. Takeapainrelieverasrecommendedbyyourprovider.Aspirinorotherpainmedicinesmayraiseyourriskofbleeding.Besuretotakeonlymedicinesyourhealthcareproviderhasapproved. Walkingandlimitedmovementaregenerallyfine.Butyoushouldavoidstrenuousactivity.Yourproviderwilltellyouwhenyoucanreturntoworkandgobacktonormalactivities. Callyourproviderifyouhaveanyofthefollowing: Feverorchills Redness,swelling,bleeding,orotherdrainagefromtheincisionsite Morepainaroundtheincisionsite Yellowingofyourskinorthewhitesofyoureyes(jaundice) Bellyorabdominalpain,cramping,orswelling Nobowelmovementorgasfor3days Painbehindyourbreastbone FindaDoctor SpecializingIn: ColonandIntestinalSurgery ColonandRectalSurgery MinimallyInvasiveGastrointestinalSurgery StomachSurgery SeeMore AtAnotherJohnsHopkinsMemberHospital: HowardCountyGeneralHospital SibleyMemorialHospital SuburbanHospital FindaTreatmentCenter GastroenterologyandHepatology FindAdditionalTreatmentCentersat: HowardCountyGeneralHospital SibleyMemorialHospital SuburbanHospital Related AnastomoticStenosisAfterGastricBypassSurgery AfferentLoopSyndrome IronDeficiencyAfterGastricBypassSurgery Appendectomy RequestanAppointment FindaDoctor 410-955-5000 Maryland 855-695-4872 OutsideofMaryland +1-410-502-7683 International FindaDoctor SeeMore Related Surgery AnastomoticStenosisAfterGastricBypassSurgery StomachandGut AfferentLoopSyndrome BariatricSurgery IronDeficiencyAfterGastricBypassSurgery RelatedTopics Gastroenterology GastricSurgery