The gallbladder is one of the significant organs used for proper digestion as it contains bile that helps break down the food. But gallbladder may pose a risk due to the formation of gallstones inside it. If the individual experiences unbearable pain, the doctors, in that case, recommend gallbladder removal surgery.
Gallstones are formed when there is some sort of disruption in the concentration of bile in the gallbladder. As the name suggests, gallstones are hard deposits in the form of stones that cause pain and irritation in one’s gallbladder. Besides this reason, various other reasons contribute to the formation of gallstones in the gallbladder, such as:
- There are high chances for the person to develop gallstones if their family has a history of gallstones.
- Gallstones also get formed due to an excessive level of cholesterol in one’s body.
- Dieting or skipping meal also increases the risk of gallstones
- Overweight individuals, especially women, are most prone to gallstone formation.
- The chances of gallstone formation are also high in pregnant women because of the secretion of estrogen.
- A diabetic person is also prone to gallstones issues.
To prevent gallstones, the least one can do to avoid food with high-fat content as they can increase the cholesterol level, leading to the formation of gallstones. One must be aware of the symptoms of gallstones to consult the doctor at the earliest. The most common symptoms that one experiences in case of gallstones include:
- Having a high fever with high chances of vomiting and nausea.
- Pain in the upper part of the belly and also the right shoulder
- One may pass dark color urine and clay color stool
- There could be symptoms of jaundice such as yellow eyes
If these symptoms persist for a longer period, then it is time for you to consult the doctor. After examining you through various tests, the doctor will inform you about the next course of action. In usual cases, the doctor will recommend removing the gallbladder with the help of surgery. There are two ways by which the gallbladder removal surgery is performed. These are:
- Laparoscopic Surgery: It is also known as minimally invasive surgery. Under this type of surgery, small cuts are made on the belly, and then the laparoscopic tube is inserted via the cut. This tube has a video camera, and through other cuts, surgical tools required to perform the surgery are inserted. The doctors see the inside on the monitor and thus remove the gallbladder. This is the most preferred way of removing the gallbladder as a recovery in such surgery is fast.
- Open Surgery: Another way of removing the gallbladder is through open surgery where one big incision is made on the belly of the individual and accordingly, surgery is performed to remove the gallbladder. It is a traditional way of removing the gallbladder involving long hours of surgery. There are certain situations where open surgery is the only option to remove the gallbladder. It depends upon certain conditions. Hence the individual must talk to the doctor to get full details.
After the surgery is performed, the next step is recovery. The recovery time will differ as per the type of surgery.
- Under laparoscopic surgery, usually, the patients are allowed to go home on the very same day. The person can return back to normal activities in around 2 weeks. One needs someone to stay with them if they return to the home the same day for at least one day as the person will still be under the influence of anesthesia.
- In the case of open surgery, the duration of recovery is much longer. The person is required to stay in the hospital for 3-5 days post the surgery. One needs 6-8 weeks of rest before they can return back to their normal activities.
In both, the surgeries one requires the help of someone post the surgery to drive them back home. Make such arrangements before the surgery so that there is no difficulty afterward.
For better recovery, there are certain things that one needs to take care of so that there are no complications and infection after the surgery. These are essential to follow to ensure one experiences smooth recovery. These are mentioned as below:
- After the surgery, one must not start consuming solid food. It is important to go slow with your diet as healing time. Your doctor will also recommend you to be on a liquid diet or bland diet as your body is not in the position to digest hard and solid food items. Slowly and steadily one should start adding solid food to their diet.
- Food items that are high in fat contribute majorly to the problems of gallstones, so it is essential to avoid such food items in general and especially post-surgery. One must also avoid food items with having a strong smell or that can cause acidity at all costs. In fact, it is essential to consume a small portion of a meal instead of a large meal after the surgery.
- Keep your bodies moving after surgery, but this must be limited to a light walk for a few minutes and that too after some days after surgery as wounds are still fresh. Before moving on to the heavy exercises, it is essential to consult your doctor so that there are no sorts of difficulties afterward.
One must avoid driving after the surgery for at least one week. Before starting driving, make sure that you don’t experience pain or discomfort while wearing the seat belt, and also one is able to take a halt in case of emergencies.
These are some of the important tips from Pristyn Care that must be followed by the individual to avoid any kind of complications. Go slow after the surgery and steadily return back to normal activities. It is important to make some permanent changes in the lifestyle, such as one must start consuming food items which are high in fiber and less on fat as after the gallbladder surgery, it becomes difficult for the food to digest food which has high-fat content in them. Hence one must take proper care of it.
