Cholecystectomy/ Gallbladder Removal

Food and medications

To prepare for a cholecystectomy, your surgeon may ask you to:

• Eat nothing the night before your surgery. You may drink a sip of water with your medications, but avoid eating and drinking at least four hours before your surgery.
• Stop taking certain medications and supplements. Tell your doctor about all the medications and supplements you take. Continue taking most medications as prescribed. Your doctor may ask you to stop taking certain medications and supplements because they may increase your risk of bleeding.

What you can expect

Before the procedure

You will be unconscious during a cholecystectomy since the operation is done with general anesthesia. Anesthesia medications are given via a vein in your arm. To assist you to breathe, your health care team will insert a tube down your throat once the medicines have taken effect. The procedure for removing the gallbladder is generally performed using either a laparoscopic or open technique by your surgeon.

During the procedure

Depending on your situation, your surgeon will recommend one of two surgical approaches:

1. Minimally invasive (laparoscopic) cholecystectomy

2. Traditional (open) cholecystectomy

After the procedure

As the anesthesia drugs wear off, you’ll be taken to a recovery area. Then you’ll be taken to a hospital room to continue recovery. Recovery varies depending on your procedure:

• Laparoscopic cholecystectomy. People are often able to go home the same day as their surgery, though sometimes a one-night stay in the hospital is needed. In general, you can expect to go home once you’re able to eat and drink without pain and are able to walk unaided. It takes about a week to fully recover.
• Open cholecystectomy. Expect to spend two or three days in the hospital recovering. Once at home, it may take four to six weeks to fully recover.

Results

A cholecystectomy will usually stop gallstones from recurring and can relieve the pain caused by gallstones. Your gallbladder isn’t essential for healthy digestion, so most people don’t experience digestive difficulties after having this procedure. Some mild symptoms, such as occasional loose stool, may occur but generally resolve over time. The time it takes to return to your regular activities after a cholecystectomy varies depending on the type of surgery you had and how healthy you are overall. People who had laparoscopic cholecystectomy might be able to go back to work within a few days, while those who had open ­cholecystectomy may need around a week or more to heal enough to return to their jobs. MedEx will connect you to the best surgeon in Thailand and help facilitate a speedy recovery.