How long does it take to recover from gallbladder surgery laparoscopic

A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is surgery to remove your gallbladder.

Inhaltsverzeichnis Show

What is the gallbladder?
Who needs to have gallbladder removal?
What happens right before laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
What happens during laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
What happens after laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
What are the benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
What are the risks or possible complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?
What should I do to take care of myself after gallbladder removal?
When can I go back to normal activities after laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

The surgeon makes a few small incisions on the right side of your abdomen (belly). The surgeon uses one incision to insert a laparoscope, a thin tube with a camera on the end. This shows your gallbladder on a screen. The gallbladder then gets removed through another small incision.

A laparoscopic cholecystectomy is less invasive than an open cholecystectomy. This other form of gallbladder removal involves a larger incision.

What is the gallbladder?

The gallbladder is an organ the shape and size of a small pear. It stores a substance called bile made by the liver. It keeps the bile until the body needs it to digest fatty foods.

Who needs to have gallbladder removal?

A laparoscopic cholecystectomy helps people with gallstones that are causing pain and infection.

Gallstones are crystals that form in the gallbladder. They can block the flow of bile out of the gallbladder into your digestive system. This roadblock causes cholecystitis (inflammation of the gallbladder). Gallstones can also move to other parts of the body and cause problems.

Symptoms of gallstones include:

Feeling bloated.
Fever.
Jaundice (yellow-looking skin).
Nausea.
Pain in the right side of the abdomen, which may reach the back or the shoulder.

Before the procedure, your healthcare team will perform certain tests, such as:

Abdominal ultrasound.
Blood work.
Urinalysis (evaluation of the urine).

They will also talk to you about:

Any medications you are taking.
Your options for controlling pain during and after surgery.
Your surgeon may ask you to avoid food and liquid for a few hours before the procedure.

What happens right before laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

You will receive general anesthesia so that you sleep and have no pain during the procedure. Once you’re out, your healthcare providers will place a tube down your throat to help you breathe. They’ll place another tube — an IV line — in your arm to deliver fluids and medications.

What happens during laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Laparoscopic cholecystectomy takes about an hour or two. A surgeon will make a few small incisions in your abdomen. The surgeon will insert thin, hollow tubes into those incisions. The surgical team will then place a laparoscope and other surgical tools into the tubes.

Your team may pump carbon dioxide into your abdomen. This step inflates the surgical area and makes it easier to see inside. Using the special tools, the surgeon will detach the gallbladder from the rest of the body and remove it. The team will then close the incisions with stitches, surgical clips or surgical glue.

If any complications occur during laparoscopic cholecystectomy, the surgeon may decide to use an open cholecystectomy instead. That procedure involves a larger incision.

What happens after laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Your team will watch you for a few hours after surgery. They want to make sure you wake up from the anesthesia without complications. They will check your heart, breathing, blood pressure and ability to urinate (pee).

Removing the gallbladder will stop the pain and treat the infection caused by gallstones. It can also stop gallstones from coming back.

If gallstones are not treated, pain and infection can get worse. The gallbladder may burst, which can be life-threatening.

What are the benefits of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Your healthcare provider or surgeon will determine whether open or laparoscopic cholecystectomy is right for you. The laparoscopic procedure has several benefits:

Less pain.
Lower risk of complications.
Quicker recovery and return to regular activities.
Smaller wounds and scars.

What are the risks or possible complications of laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Like any surgery, laparoscopic cholecystectomy has some risks, but they are rare:

Bile leaking in the body.
Bleeding.
Complications from anesthesia.
Hernia.
Injury to the bile ducts, liver or intestines.
Numbness in the surgical area.
Peritonitis (inflammation and infection in the abdomen).
Small scars from the incisions.
Urinary tract infection.

If you don’t have any complications, you can usually go home the same day as your laparoscopic cholecystectomy. With an open cholecystectomy, you may have to stay in the hospital for a day or two.

What should I do to take care of myself after gallbladder removal?

After surgery, do the following to help yourself recover:

Avoid lifting heavy things.
Drink plenty of water.
Eat foods high in fiber to help your bowel movements (pooping).
Follow your healthcare provider’s instructions about taking care of your wounds and taking medications.
Slowly increase your activity.
Walk a little bit every day to prevent blood clots.

When can I go back to normal activities after laparoscopic cholecystectomy?

Without complications, you should be able to drive and eat normally in a day or two. You usually can return to work and other daily activities in about a week, as long as they don’t involve lifting. You may need a week or two before you are physically or sexually active.

After you go home, call your healthcare provider right away if you develop any of the following:

Chills.
Cramps in your abdomen or severe pain.
High fever (over 101 degrees Fahrenheit).
Incision problems, like bleeding, swelling, redness or a funny smell.
No bowel movement for three days.
Vomiting.
Yellow skin.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Gallstones can be very painful and dangerous. Laparoscopic cholecystectomy removes the gallbladder and prevents gallstones from coming back. Most people fully recover from the minimally invasive procedure in just a few weeks. But call your healthcare provider if you experience any problems after surgery.

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 01/19/2021.

References

American College of Surgeons. Cholecystectomy: Surgical Removal of the Gallbladder. (https://www.facs.org/~/media/files/education/patient%20ed/cholesys.ashx) Accessed 1/21/2021.
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Gallstones. (https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/digestive-diseases/gallstones) Accessed 1/21/2021.
Hassler KR, Collins JT, Philip K, Jones MW. [Updated 2020 Oct 1] Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy. (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448145/) In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing. 2020 Jan-. Accessed 1/21/2021.
Society of American Gastrointestinal and Endoscopic Surgeons. What is Laparoscopic Gallbladder Removal Surgery (Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy)? (https://www.sages.org/publications/patient-information/patient-information-for-laparoscopic-gallbladder-removal-cholecystectomy-from-sages/) Accessed 1/21/2021.

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It only takes about two weeks to fully recover from a laparoscopic gallbladder removal surgery. Recovery time is more like six to eight weeks for an open surgery.

The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ that is located under the liver that stores bile, a fluid that helps the body break down fat in food.

Gallbladder removal (cholecystectomy) surgery is removal of the gallbladder, which is done in one of two different ways:

Laparoscopic surgery is the most common procedure for gallbladder removal in which a surgeon uses a long, thin tube with a light and a tiny camera on the end to see inside the body (laparoscope). A few small incisions are made and the surgeon inserts the laparoscope and other special tools through the incisions to perform the operation.
Open surgery is performed when the gallbladder and bile duct are too infected or scarred to safely perform laparoscopic surgery. It may also be recommended in patients who are obese, have severe gallbladder disease, or pregnant women in the last trimester of pregnancy. In this procedure, a larger incision in in the belly is created to perform the surgery directly.

Both procedures are performed under general anesthesia.

The most common reason for gallbladder removal surgery is to treat gallstones that form inside the gallbladder.

In many cases, gallstones do not cause problems and surgery is only needed if a stone blocks a bile duct, resulting in a “gallbladder attack,” which causes severe, stabbing pain in the belly that can last several hours.

Gallstones do not go away on their own without treatment. Medications may be tried first, but they can take months to years to dissolve the stones, and gallstones often return.

In some cases, gallstones can block the bile ducts and prevent them from draining, which results in pain, inflammation, nausea, and vomiting.

In serious cases, gallstones can lead to yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice), gallbladder infection, inflamed gallbladder (cholecystitis), inflamed bile ducts (cholangitis), tears in the gallbladder (which can be fatal), and inflammation of the pancreas (pancreatitis).

Other reasons gallbladder removal surgery may be indicated include:

Pancreatitis
Gallbladder cancer
Chronic acalculous gallbladder disease

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Recovery varies depending on whether laparoscopic or open surgery is performed.

With laparoscopic surgery, patients are usually able to leave the hospital the same day as the procedure. In some cases, there will be an overnight stay required. Patients are advised to rest and avoid sports, heavy lifting, and swimming for at least one week, and patients can usually resume their normal routine in about 2 weeks.

With open surgery, patients typically stay in the hospital for 1 to 2 days. Once home, patients are advised to avoid sports, heavy lifting, and swimming for a few weeks. It may take 6 to 8 weeks for a full recovery.

The risks of gallbladder removal surgery include:

Bleeding
Infection
Damage to other bile ducts near the gallbladder
Bile leakage
Gallstones that remain stuck in the bile duct - “post-cholecystectomy syndrome” (PCS)
Bowel damage