Cholecystectomy (gallbladder removal) - Mayo Clinic

A cholecystectomy is most commonly performed by inserting a tiny video camera and special surgical tools through four small incisions to see ... COVID-19:Advice,updatesandvaccineoptions FindoutaboutCOVID-19,COVID-19vaccines,andMayoClinicpatientandvisitorupdates. Skiptositenavigation SkiptoContent ThiscontentdoesnothaveanEnglishversion.ThiscontentdoesnothaveanArabicversion. SectionsforCholecystectomy(gallbladderremoval)AboutDoctors&Departments Print OverviewAcholecystectomy(koh-luh-sis-TEK-tuh-me)isasurgicalproceduretoremoveyourgallbladder—apear-shapedorganthatsitsjustbelowyourliverontheupperrightsideofyourabdomen.Yourgallbladdercollectsandstoresbile—adigestivefluidproducedinyourliver. Acholecystectomyisacommonsurgery,anditcarriesonlyasmallriskofcomplications.Inmostcases,youcangohomethesamedayofyourcholecystectomy. Acholecystectomyismostcommonlyperformedbyinsertingatinyvideocameraandspecialsurgicaltoolsthroughfoursmallincisionstoseeinsideyourabdomenandremovethegallbladder.Doctorscallthisalaparoscopiccholecystectomy. Insomecases,onelargeincisionmaybeusedtoremovethegallbladder.Thisiscalledanopencholecystectomy.Products&ServicesBook:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEditionBook:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealthNewsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEditionShowmoreproductsfromMayoClinic Whyit'sdone Gallstones Openpop-updialogbox Close Gallstones Gallstones Gallstonesarehardeneddepositsofbilethatcanforminyourgallbladder.Bileisadigestivefluidproducedinyourliverandstoredinyourgallbladder.Whenyoueat,yourgallbladdercontractsandemptiesbileintoyoursmallintestine(duodenum). Acholecystectomyismostcommonlyperformedtotreatgallstonesandthecomplicationstheycause.Yourdoctormayrecommendacholecystectomyifyouhave: Gallstonesinthegallbladder(cholelithiasis) Gallstonesinthebileduct(choledocholithiasis) Gallbladderinflammation(cholecystitis) Largegallbladderpolyps Pancreasinflammation(pancreatitis)duetogallstones   Thereisaproblemwith informationsubmittedforthisrequest.Review/updatethe informationhighlightedbelowandresubmittheform. FromMayoClinictoyourinbox Signupforfree,andstayuptodateonresearchadvancements,healthtipsandcurrenthealthtopics,likeCOVID-19,plusexpertiseonmanaginghealth. Email ErrorEmailfieldisrequired ErrorIncludeavalidemailaddress LearnmoreaboutMayoClinic’suseofdata. 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Sorrysomethingwentwrongwithyoursubscription Please,tryagaininacoupleofminutes Retry RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic RisksAcholecystectomycarriesasmallriskofcomplicationsincluding: Bileleak Bleeding Infection Injurytonearbystructures,suchasthebileduct,liverandsmallintestine Risksofgeneralanesthesia,suchasbloodclotsandpneumonia Yourriskofcomplicationsdependsonyouroverallhealthandthereasonforyourcholecystectomy. HowyouprepareFoodandmedicationsToprepareforacholecystectomy,yoursurgeonmayaskyouto: Eatnothingthenightbeforeyoursurgery.Youmaydrinkasipofwaterwithyourmedications,butavoideatinganddrinkingatleastfourhoursbeforeyoursurgery. Stoptakingcertainmedicationsandsupplements.Tellyourdoctoraboutallthemedicationsandsupplementsyoutake.Continuetakingmostmedicationsasprescribed.Yourdoctormayaskyoutostoptakingcertainmedicationsandsupplementsbecausetheymayincreaseyourriskofbleeding. ClothingandpersonalitemsMostpeoplegohomethesamedayoftheircholecystectomy,butcomplicationscanoccurthatrequireoneormorenightsinthehospital.Planaheadincaseyouneedtostayinthehospitalbybringingpersonalitems,suchasyourtoothbrush,comfortableclothing,andbooksormagazinestopassthetime. OtherprecautionsFindsomeonetodriveyouhomeandstaywithyou.Askafriendorfamilymembertodriveyouhomeandstayclosethefirstnightaftersurgery. WhatyoucanexpectBeforetheprocedureAcholecystectomyisperformedusinggeneralanesthesia,soyouwon'tbeawareduringtheprocedure.Anesthesiadrugsaregiventhroughaveininyourarm.Oncethedrugstakeeffect,yourhealthcareteamwillinsertatubedownyourthroattohelpyoubreathe.Yoursurgeonthenperformsthecholecystectomyusingeitheralaparoscopicoropenprocedure. DuringtheprocedureDependingonyoursituation,yoursurgeonwillrecommendoneoftwosurgicalapproaches: Minimallyinvasive(laparoscopic)cholecystectomy Duringalaparoscopiccholecystectomy,thesurgeonmakesfoursmallincisionsinyourabdomen.Atubewithatinyvideocameraisinsertedintoyourabdomenthroughoneoftheincisions.Yoursurgeonwatchesavideomonitorintheoperatingroomwhileusingsurgicaltoolsinsertedthroughtheotherincisionsinyourabdomentoremoveyourgallbladder. Nextyoumayundergoanimagingtest,suchasanX-rayorultrasound,ifyoursurgeonisconcernedaboutpossiblegallstonesorotherproblemsinyourbileduct.Thenyourincisionsaresutured,andyou'retakentoarecoveryarea.Alaparoscopiccholecystectomytakesoneortwohours. Alaparoscopiccholecystectomyisn'tappropriateforeveryone.Insomecasesyoursurgeonmaybeginwithalaparoscopicapproachandfinditnecessarytomakealargerincisionbecauseofscartissuefrompreviousoperationsorcomplications. Traditional(open)cholecystectomy Duringanopencholecystectomy,thesurgeonmakesa6-inch(15-centimeter)incisioninyourabdomenbelowyourribsonyourrightside.Themuscleandtissuearepulledbacktorevealyourliverandgallbladder.Yoursurgeonthenremovesthegallbladder. Theincisionissutured,andyou'retakentoarecoveryarea.Anopencholecystectomytakesoneortwohours. AftertheprocedureYou'llbetakentoarecoveryareaastheanesthesiadrugswearoff.Thenyou'llbetakentoahospitalroomtocontinuerecovery.Recoveryvariesdependingonyourprocedure: Laparoscopiccholecystectomy.Peopleareoftenabletogohomethesamedayastheirsurgery,thoughsometimesaone-nightstayinthehospitalisneeded.Ingeneral,youcanexpecttogohomeonceyou'reabletoeatanddrinkwithoutpainandareabletowalkunaided.Ittakesaboutaweektofullyrecover. Opencholecystectomy.Expecttospendtwoorthreedaysinthehospitalrecovering.Onceathome,itmaytakefourtosixweekstofullyrecover. ResultsAcholecystectomycanrelievethepainanddiscomfortofgallstones.Conservativetreatments,suchasdietarymodifications,usuallycan'tstopgallstonesfromrecurring.Inmostcases,acholecystectomywillpreventgallstonesfromcomingback. Mostpeoplewon'texperiencedigestiveproblemsafteracholecystectomy.Yourgallbladderisn'tessentialtohealthydigestion.Somepeoplemayexperienceoccasionalloosestoolaftertheprocedure,whichgenerallyresolvesovertime.Discusswithyourdoctoranychangesinyourbowelhabitsornewsymptomsfollowingyourprocedure. Howquicklyyoucanreturntonormalactivitiesafteracholecystectomydependsonwhichprocedureyoursurgeonusesandyouroverallhealth.Peopleundergoingalaparoscopiccholecystectomymaybeabletogobacktoworkinamatterofdays.Thoseundergoinganopencholecystectomymayneedaweekormoretorecoverenoughtoreturntowork. Clinicaltrials ExploreMayoClinicstudiesoftestsandprocedurestohelpprevent,detect,treatormanageconditions. ByMayoClinicStaff RequestanAppointmentatMayoClinic Doctors&Departments Sept.18,2021 Print Shareon:FacebookTwitter Showreferences KimSS,etal.Laparoscopiccholecystectomy.JAMA.2018;319:1834. LambertsMP.Indicationsofcholecystectomyingallstonedisease.CurrentOpinioninGastroenterology.2018;34:97. SoperNJ,etal.Laparoscopiccholecystectomy.https://www.uptodate.com/contents/search.AccessedJuly1,2019. Cholecystectomy.AmericanCollegeofSurgeons.https://www.facs.org/education/patient-education/patient-resources/operations.AccessedJuly1,2019. LeeSR,etal.Reasonablecholecystectomyofgallbladderpolyp—10yearsofexperience.AsianJournalofSurgery.2019;42:332. Related Canyourecommendadietaftergallbladderremoval? Chronicdiarrhea:Aconcernaftergallbladderremoval? Gallbladderandbileduct Gallbladdercancer Gallstones Gallstones Gastrointestinaltract Laparoscopiccholecystectomy Pancreatitis Showmorerelatedcontent Products&Services Book:MayoClinicFamilyHealthBook,5thEdition Book:MayoCliniconDigestiveHealth Newsletter:MayoClinicHealthLetter—DigitalEdition ShowmoreproductsandservicesfromMayoClinic Cholecystectomy(gallbladderremoval)AboutDoctors&Departments Advertisement MayoClinicdoesnotendorsecompaniesorproducts.Advertisingrevenuesupportsournot-for-profitmission. Advertising&Sponsorship Policy Opportunities AdChoices MayoClinicPress Checkoutthesebest-sellersandspecialoffersonbooksandnewslettersfromMayoClinicPress. 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