Surgical Care Group

Patient Instructions for Cholecystectomy (Removal of Gallbladder)

The doctor will check your medical history and may order tests that haven’t previously been done, including an ultrasound and blood work.
You may need to visit the hospital a few days prior to surgery to ensure that all the tests are done and to complete paperwork.

Do not eat anything after midnight the day before surgery.
Do not take blood thinning medication (such as Coumadin or aspirin) for at least 5 days prior to surgery, and be sure to ask us about this medication if your are taking it.
Take half of your usual dose of insulin. Do not take other medications to lower your blood sugar.
Take all other medicines you are currently on.
Shower and shave as usual.

You will stay in the recovery until you are completely awake. After you are awake for at least one hour, you will be taken to a regular room.
Pain will be controlled with a local anesthetic injected during surgery and will be supplemented with medicine as needed, but expect some discomfort.
During your surgery you will have inflatable stockings on to improve blood circulation. It is recommended that you keep these on while in bed until you are discharged.
You may be given an incentive spirometer (breathing machine) to help prevent pneumonia.
Your diet will begin with liquids and advance to low fat foods.
The hospital stay for laparoscopic cholecystectomy is routinely less than 24 hours. Some patients go home the same day as their surgery. If you require an open procedure, however, your hospital stay will be longer.
You will need someone to drive you home when you are discharged.

Resume your usual activities, including walking and climbing stairs, as you feel able.
A low fat diet should be followed for the first month.
Pain medication often causes constipation and you may require a mild laxative, such as Milk of Magnesia, or a stool softener such as Colace. Drink plenty of fluids.
Some patients develop diarrhea. An over-the-counter remedy, such as Imodium, can be taken.
You may resume sexual activity whenever you choose.
Do not lift more than 10 pounds until you are seen in the office and your physician tells you otherwise.
You should not drive until you are pain free, off medication, and confident that you can handle a car under all driving conditions.
Your return to work depends upon how you feel and your job requirements. Most patients return to work one to two weeks after surgery.
You should see us in the office about a week to 10 days after you are home from the hospital.

You may remove the outer dressings 24 hours after surgery. At this time, you may shower.
There will be small tape strips over your incisions. Leave these in place. It is okay if they get wet or fall off.
If your incisions are dry, leave them open to the air. If you have drainage from the incisions, place a dry dressing over them.
If your clothing rubs on any incision and is irritating, place a dry dressing over it.
If you had an open procedure, you may have staples which will need to be removed in the doctor’s office approximately 10 days after surgery.
It is common to have bruising around the incisions. This will go away over time.

You should continue on the medications you were on prior to surgery. You will also be given narcotic pain pills. You should try to wean yourself off them as soon as possible.
The narcotics are also constipating so you should take a mild laxative or stool softener if you need one.