Gallbladder removal - laparoscopic - Recovery

Alternative Names

Cholecystectomy - laparoscopic

Before the Procedure:

Your doctor may ask you to have these medical tests done before you have surgery:

Blood tests (complete blood count, electrolytes, and kidney tests)
Chest x-ray or electrocardiogram (EKG), for some people
Several x-rays of the gallbladder

Always tell your doctor or nurse:

If you are or might be pregnant
What drugs, vitamins, and other supplements you are taking, even ones you bought without a prescription

During the week before your surgery:

You may be asked to stop taking aspirin, ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin), vitamin E, warfarin (Coumadin), and any other drugs that make it hard for your blood to clot.
Your doctor may ask you to "clean out" your colon or intestines.
Ask your doctor which drugs you should still take on the day of your surgery.

On the day of your surgery:

Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your surgery.
Take the drugs your doctor told you to take with a small sip of water.
Shower the night before or the morning of your surgery.
Your doctor or nurse will tell you when to arrive at the hospital.

Prepare your home for after the surgery.

After the Procedure:

If you do not have any signs of problems, you will be able to go home when you are able to drink liquids easily. Most people go home on the same day or the day after this surgery.

If there were problems during your surgery, or if you have bleeding, a lot of pain, or a fever, you may need to stay in the hospital longer.

Outlook (Prognosis):

Most patients do very well and recover quickly.

Reviewed last on: 11/5/2008
Robert J. Fitzgibbons, Jr., MD, FACS, Harry E. Stuckenhoff Professor of Surgery, Chief of General Surgery, and Associate Chairman, Department of Surgery, Creighton University School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Chari RS, Shah SA. Biliary system. In: Townsend CM, Beauchamp RD, Evers BM, Mattox KL. Sabiston Textbook of Surgery. 18th ed. St. Louis, M0: WB Saunders; 2008: chap 54.

Diseases of the gallbladder and bile ducts. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Textbook of Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007: chap 159.

Siddiqui T. Early versus delayed laparoscopic cholecystectomy for acute cholecystitis: a meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials. Am J Surg. Jan 2008; 195(1): 40-7.

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