The main problems which can occur after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy are shoulder tip pain, nausea and infection at one of the entry points (port sites). None of these are major issues, and most people have a smooth post-operative course.
A small number of patients will develop a leak of bile into the abdomen and this will often require further procedures.
The most serious but very rare complication is an injury to the main bile duct which will require a major procedure.
Don’t be afraid to contact the hospital or the surgeon if problems arise after you have gone home.
The procedure is minimally invasive, ie “keyhole”. There will usually be two or three small incisions made, but these close over quickly and the patient is usually ready for discharge next day. Some surgeons place a drain tube into abdomen to be removed the following day..
In instances of technical difficulty or more serious disease than anticipated it may be necessary to convert to an open operation with a large incision and a longer period in hospital.
Cholecystectomy (removal of the gall bladder) is performed when gall stones have formed in the gall bladder and are causing pain or complications. The presence of gall stones alone is no reason for surgery unless other medical issues might mean that it would be wrong to wait for complications to occur.
There is no point in removing the gall stones without removing the gall bladder, they will just reform.
Often the surgeon will perform an X-Ray during the procedure to be sure that the bile duct does not contain a stone.
If the gall stones have moved down the bile duct there may need to be other procedures to clear the duct.