What Are Gallstone Symptoms After Surgery?

Gallstones are small stone-like formations that form in the gallbladder. They can be extremely tiny or can be as large as a ping-pong ball depending upon how long they have been forming. There is some increased risk of developing gallstone problems after surgery or during an extended hospital stay.

Pain

• Pain in the abdomen can be a sign that someone is having problems with gallstones. It may feel like a sharp, shooting pain or it may feel like a cramping pain. According to the National Institutes of Health, pain associated with gallstones normally presents in the right upper abdomen or the middle upper abdomen. It is normally caused by a stone blocking the passage from the gallbladder to the lower intestine.

Digestive Issues

• There are several digestive issues that relate to a problem with gallstones. According to the National Institutes of Health, these can include vomiting, indigestion and nausea. They can also include excess gas and pale or clay colored stools. The stool color is affected because the gallstones may be preventing bile from reaching the intestine, and bile is what gives stools a brownish color.

Jaundice

• Jaundice is a condition that causes the whites of the eyes and the skin to have a yellow appearance. It is caused by a buildup of bilirubin in the bloodstream. Bilirubin is a byproduct of old red blood cells and the liver is the organ that cleans bilirubin out of the blood. According to the American Gastroenterological Association, when a gallstone gets stuck in the bile duct and the liver cannot get rid of the bile and waste products it builds up, it can cause a buildup of bilirubin that results in jaundice.

Causes

• The gallbladder can develop gallstones for a variety of reasons. In the case of post-surgical gallstones, it is most often caused by factors involved with recovery rather than the surgery itself. According to the National Institutes of Health, these causes include remaining sedentary for a prolonged period of time and being fed intravenously (through an IV) for a long period of time. There are some surgeries that can increase the risk of developing gallstones. Among these are weight loss surgeries and surgery to repair peptic ulcers.

Treatment

• According to the American Gastroenterological Association, the most common treatment for gallstone problems is removal of the gallbladder. The gallstones themselves can be removed or possibly treated with medication to cause them to break apart, but the recurrence of gallstones in the future is likely. Not all gallstones require removal or treatment; many people have gallstones in their gallbladder with no ill effect.