Cholecystectomy Symptoms

Cholecystectomy is a medical procedure where the gallbladder is removed through surgery. This is usually advised by doctors to patients who suffer from extreme abdominal pains due to gallstones or an inflamed gallbladder.

In asymptomatic gallstones or silent stones, cholecystectomy is not a necessary surgical procedure. To find out if you are a candidate for cholecystectomy, check out the following Cholecystectomy Symptoms listed below.

Cholecystectomy Symptoms

Patients who may be candidates for cholecystectomy may have any or all of the following symptoms:

• Presence of gallbladder stones
• Gallstones cause extreme discomfort particularly after meals
• The stones are large enough to block the bile ducts
• Persistent pain in the abdomen
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Inflammation of the gallbladder

While the gallbladder’s function is not as important as any of the other organs in the body such as the liver, kidneys, heart and lungs; any problem that may be directly coming from it could still give pain and discomfort to the patient.

Moreover, other medical complications may arise if the problem is not addressed properly.

Types of Cholecystectomy

There are two types of surgeries to remove the gallbladder. These are each recommended according to the patient’s condition and medical history. Other times, the patient will be the one to request what type of cholecystectomy they wish to undergo.

Open Cholecystectomy

The first type of cholecystectomy is known as open cholecystectomy. This is the traditional extraction of the gallbladder. The doctor will make an incision of about four to seven inches on the abdominal area where the gallbladder is located and then continue with the extraction.

For this type of cholecystectomy, the patient will be required to stay in the hospital for at least one night. This is actually considered a major surgical procedure hence; overnight admission to the hospital is necessary.

Laparoscopic Surgery

The second type of cholecystectomy is called laparoscopic surgery. This is actually considered the more modern way of removing the gallbladder. In this procedure, the doctor will make a few small incisions on the abdomen and insert thin, round tubes through the incisions.

The tubes will allow for surgical tools as well as a small camera to be put in the cavity of the abdomen. The camera will allow the doctor to have a closer view of the organs.

The surgeon will then perform the surgery by viewing the organs and tissues on the computer monitor. With this procedure, the patient can usually go home within the day.

Most patients prefer to undergo this type of cholecystectomy rather than go the traditional way since the incisions are smaller and lesser discomfort or pain will be experienced by the patient.