Your gallbladder is a small organ that lies underneath your liver. Gallstones are small hard deposits that form inside your gallbladder. You can have gallstones and not know it. Sometimes gallstones can cause extreme pain or infection and require surgery. The surgery to remove your gallbladder is called a cholecystectomy. This is a common surgery with low risk.
Hospital Care
Gallbladder surgery requires a short hospital stay. After surgery, you will receive fluids through an IV until you can drink liquids and eat food. After your surgery, you should eat a low fat diet. To heal properly after surgery, you must change positions frequently and do deep breathing exercises. These actions prevent pneumonia. You will be helped into a chair and assisted with walking as soon as possible. Immediately after surgery, you will be given pain medication that will allow you to breathe deeply and move around with less pain. You should be ready for discharge from the hospital in 1 to 3 days gallbladder surgery.
Home Care
You will continue to heal for several weeks after your cholecystectomy. During the first week you are home, do not exert yourself or become fatigued. Rest frequently so you do not strain yourself. Climb stairs slowly and stop to rest every few steps. Do not lift anything that weighs more than 10 pounds, as this may put too much pressure on your incision. You should avoid baths during the first week and take showers instead. Unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise, wash your incision with soap and water. You may not need a dressing unless your clothing irritates your incision. The NYU Medical Center recommends you follow a low-fat diet for 6 weeks after your gallbladder surgery. After that time, gradually add fat back into your diet. Return to your usual activities and to eating a healthy diet as soon as possible in order to heal faster.
Medical Intervention
Your doctor will schedule a follow up visit to check on your postoperative progress. If you have any of the following symptoms, you should contact your doctor right away, as it could be a sign of developing infection: a fever of 101 degrees, increasing redness around your incision, swelling around your incision, increase in fluid draining from your incision or change in the appearance of the fluid.
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