Surgery to remove the gallbladder, called cholecystectomy, is indicated when gallbladder stones are identified after laboratory or imaging tests, such as urine, or when there are signs of gallbladder inflammation. Thus, when gallbladder diagnosis is made, surgery can be scheduled and usually fast, with an average duration of 45 minutes, and requires only 1 to 2 days of rest and with a recovery from normal activities in 1 to 2 weeks.
Although most of the time surgery is performed on a scheduled basis, it can also be performed urgently, especially in case of associated symptoms, such as cramping and severe pain, as this may be a sign of inflammation and/or infection, requiring action. . Surgery to avoid complications.
Surgery can be done in two ways
Both surgeries are performed under general anesthesia and usually only require 1 to 2 days of hospitalization. However, if your abdomen is heavily inflamed, such as some complications due to gallbladder stones, such as cholangitis or pancreatitis, healing may take longer.
If it is necessary to stay in bed for more than 3 days, your doctor may indicate that physiotherapy is still performed in the hospital to ensure proper body movement and prevent respiratory complications that may occur after any surgery. If the person needs to rest at home, these exercises can help: 5 exercises to breathe better after surgery.
After passing the effect of anesthesia and pain relievers, the person may experience mild pain or discomfort in the abdomen, which may also radiate to the shoulder or neck. As long as the pain persists, your doctor will recommend the use of pain relievers or anti-inflammatory medications, such as dipirone or ketoprofen, for example.
After surgery to remove the gallbladder, an initial rest is indicated, but as soon as it can get up, after 1 to 2 days, it is possible to perform walks and short activities effortlessly. Return to work, as well as other daily activities, such as driving or light exercise, should not be started until after 1 week, in case of laparoscopic surgery, or after 2 weeks, in case of conventional surgery.
It’s also important to avoid sitting or lying down for a long time, so it’s a good idea to take short walks around the house throughout the day. However, each case may vary, so it’s important to follow your doctor’s instructions.
In the first few days a liquid or pasty diet is indicated and be careful not to move excessively, thus ensuring a good healing of the surgical wound. Then the food will become normal, but it is recommended that it be low in fat, so the patient should avoid eating sausages or frying, for example. Here’s how to prepare a more pasty diet in the first few days.
For more information about what you can and can’t eat, see
Surgery to remove the gallbladder has nothing to do with weight loss, so although the person may lose weight, it’s because of the low-fat diet that you should follow after surgery. With gallbladder removal, bile produced in the liver will continue to occur, but instead of being stored in the gallbladder, it immediately enters the gut to remove fat from food and not fat from the body.
The risks of gallbladder surgery are minimal, but the most serious are damage to gallstones, bleeding, or infection that can occur during any surgery.
Therefore, it is advisable to go to the emergency room immediately if the fever exceeds 38oC, if the surgical wound has pus, if the skin and eyes turn yellow, or if there are difficulty breathing, vomiting or pain that does not improve with the remedy. indicated by the doctor.
See when surgery is used to treat cancer in: Treatment of gallbladder cancer.