|  | Conditions Treatments | Medical Conditions

Recovery Time After Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder surgery is a common procedure to remove an inflamed or obstructed gallbladder, if the gallbladder is causing pancreatitis or if there is a suspicion of cancer, according to SteadyHealth.com. Usually this procedure is laparoscopic, minimally invasive surgery with use of small incisions, as compared to traditional surgery that requires large incisions. Cases that are more complicated require the traditional surgery; however, laparoscopic surgery has fewer complications, a shorter hospital stay and a better cosmetic result.

  1. Potential

    • Assuming you do not suffer any of the surgical risks associated with gallbladder surgery such as bleeding, infection or injury to the common bile duct, you should recover rapidly and return to normal, according to SteadyHealth.com.

    Time Frame

    • If you have laparoscopic surgery, you will only need to stay in the hospital for one or two days, according to surgery-guide.com. It notes that you can expect a longer hospital stay with the more traditional surgery and that recovery will take six to eight weeks.

    Considerations

    • Whether you are in the hospital or at home, the quickest way to recover, according to surgery-guide.com, is to have a proper diet. Your diet should be one that will lessen any burdens on your digestive system. Because constipation is a problem after gallbladder surgery, surgery-guide.com suggests that you consult with your doctor about which types of foods to eat.

    Expert Insight

    • Surgery-guide.com suggests that you avoid fatty foods after surgery because they are hard to digest. In fact, you probably will be on a liquid diet for the first few days after surgery and certainly on the day of the operation. You may also experience gas pain and loose stools during recovery. During this time, you should not attempt to do any stretching exercises because this will put too much pressure on your abdominal muscles.

    Prevention/Solution

    • According to SteadyHealth.com, there should be no long-term dietary restrictions after gallbladder surgery. However, about 20 percent of patients report having diarrhea problems that could last for years. The article suggests eating foods containing fiber because the fiber will absorb the excess water, making bowel movements less watery. You could also avoid tea, coffee, dairy products and spicy and fatty foods. Your doctor may also prescribe anti-diarrhea medicine if needed.

Medical Conditions - Related Articles