Cholecystectomy, or gallbladder removal surgery, is a fairly common procedure done on patients experiencing pain in the gallbladder arising due to presence of gallstones. Since the gallbladder is an absolutely necessary organ, a surgery is recommended to take it out every time someone develops a problem with it. People can go back to living normal lives after the surgery with a few dietary changes.
Why does the gallbladder need to be removed?
The gallbladder is a small, sack-like organ next to the liver whose function is to store the bile juice secreted by the liver. Bile is needed to break down fatty foods in the intestine and is released by the gallbladder during digestion. Often, the bile fluid develops gallstones which, in most cases, doesn’t cause any symptoms unless they get trapped in a bile duct. That could lead to complications such as the inflammation of the gallbladder, persistent pain, jaundice, and fever. It is possible to dissolve gallstones with prescription medicine, but in most cases a cholecystectomy is the best way to go about treating the problem.
How is the gallbladder removal surgery performed?
There are two main ways in which the removal of gall bladder is performed:
- Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy:Also called a keyhole surgery, several small incisions are made in to the abdomen. Through these keyholes, fine surgical instruments are used to access the gallbladder and remove it out of the body. The procedure is faster and the patients can leave the hospital sooner. The risk of infections and complications is lower and fewer scars that are mostly unnoticeable are left behind in the wake of the surgery.
- Open Cholecystectomy:A less popular method where a larger incision is made in the abdomen to access the gallbladder and remove it. This procedure is chosen if the laparoscopic method isn’t a viable option such as when the gallbladder is severely diseased and may have affected the surrounding areas. The recovery time and risk of complications and infections is higher in this procedure.
Recovering after a Cholecystectomy and functioning without a gallbladder.
The recovery time is relatively quick from a keyhole surgery and the patient can be discharged from the hospital on the same day or the next morning. It is possible to get back to normal activity in about two weeks. Recovery from an open gall bladder removal surgery is much slower in comparison. Patients may have to stay in the hospital for three to five days, and the recovery to full functionality might take six to eight weeks.
It is possible to live a totally normal life after the procedure. The bile produced by the liver, instead of being stored in the gallbladder, will now continuously drip into the digestive system. This may cause a few people to have unstable amounts of bile on occasion. Though not cause for major concern, regulating the fat intake and maintaining a healthy diet can keep symptoms such as bloating under check.
Conclusion
A gallbladder removal surgery is not always required when gallstones are detected. Unless there are complications such as gall bladder attacks associated with the stones, or an infected gall bladder, it can be left unchecked. When your condition does mandate a surgery, there are a number of Surgery Packages Online that can be chosen from for a Cholecystectomy from the best medical centers in the city.