Rehabilitation after removal of the gallbladder

Since laparoscopy is less traumatic and the recovery period after it is much shorter than after abdominal surgery, doctors are increasingly resorting to this method. The operation is not a guarantee of recovery - this means that treatment is necessary after the removal of the gallbladder. A person will be able to restore his body if he follows the recommendations of the doctor, engage in physiotherapy exercises, take medicines, eat right and improve his health.

It is important to pay attention to your health and attend spa treatment, where special procedures are carried out aimed at the rehabilitation of the patient and returning him to a full life.  

When is the operation performed

In the modern world, the removal of the gallbladder is carried out quite often. This is necessary for cholecystitis, gallstone disease, polyps and neoplasms. Rehabilitation is a special diet, wound treatment, minimization of physical activity. Your body must learn to work without the organ that accumulated bile. The organs involved in the digestive process must be rebuilt. Sometimes this requires drug therapy, but only a doctor prescribes it, depending on the individual characteristics of the body.

Surgical intervention and removal of the organ is done in such cases:

• acute inflammatory process in the gallbladder, the temperature at which does not fall for some time;
• the presence of large particles in the biliary system;
• inflammation in the peritoneum;
• purulent and fibrous exudate is present.

What methods are used to remove an organ

The following methods are used for the operation:

• laparotomy;
• laparoscopy;
• mini access.

Each of these methods is used by doctors in specific cases. The first is performed using a 15-cm incision in the abdominal wall, through which the gallbladder is removed. This method is used for emergency surgery, if laparoscopy is contraindicated, there is an acute inflammatory process, or the ducts are severely affected.

Since the operation is abdominal, recovery after removal of the gallbladder will take a long time. The patient's stitches are removed after about 10 days. The patient receives inpatient treatment for 2 weeks. Gradually, a person returns to normal life, but you will have to adhere to a special diet, do not lift weights and do not swim in ponds for six months.

The second method (laparoscopy) is considered a less traumatic method. It is carried out with the help of punctures of the abdominal wall in 4 places. Equipment is inserted into these incisions, which allows the removal of the organ. The postoperative period after removal of the gallbladder with laparoscopy is much faster. Three days later, the patient is discharged from the hospital.

In the case of a mini-access, the incision is from 3 to 7 cm: thus, the tissues are less injured than in the first case. Use this method if adhesions have formed or there is an inflammatory process in the tissues.

The duration of the rehabilitation period after the removal of the organ

How long the patient will recover from gallbladder surgery depends on the method by which the surgery was performed. The entire rehabilitation period can be divided into the following stages:

• Stationary early. For 2-3 days, the doctor observes the patient, determines whether there are complications after the operation, and conducts symptomatic therapy.
• Stationary late. For 6-14 days, doctors monitor the work of the body in the absence of an organ and the healing of the suture.
• Outpatient. This stage lasts 1-3 months, when the body adapts to work without the organ and restores the digestive function.

The first few hours the patient spends in intensive care, he is not allowed to get out of bed, eat food and drink. Then they are allowed to rise a little. There may be dizziness associated with anesthesia. The degree of pain in the suture area in patients varies depending on the pain threshold. Depending on this, the doctor prescribes drugs to alleviate the patient's condition.

After the abdominal operation, narcotic painkillers are prescribed, after a while they are replaced with analgesics. When it comes to laparoscopy, no pain medications are required as the pain is defined as bearable.

When leaving the hospital, the patient receives recommendations from the doctor for rehabilitation after removal of the gallbladder. This applies to diet, exercise, medication, and suture care. Proper implementation of the instructions will help to avoid postoperative complications and return to the usual rhythm of life as quickly as possible.

Diet necessary during the rehabilitation period

The function of the gallbladder is to store bile, which is synthesized by the liver and sent to the small intestine when needed to digest food. After the organ is removed, bile gradually enters the intestines and the process of digestion changes. It is necessary to unload the body from heavy food and allow it to get used to its new state.

It is very important to follow a diet: if you eat the necessary foods, then the food will be digested faster, without causing fermentation and gas formation in the intestines. The first days of rehabilitation after removal of the gallbladder, you can eat cereals, vegetable soups and sour-milk products, bananas, mashed vegetables and boiled meat are also recommended.

After the patient is discharged home, table No. 5 is recommended to him. An example of such a diet can be seen in the table below.

The main restrictions are fried and fatty foods, smoked dishes, marinades, spices, canned food, butter, eggs, coffee and alcohol. An important point in rehabilitation after laparoscopy of the gallbladder is nutrition according to the schedule. It should be fractional, at least 6 times a day. You need to eat after 3 hours at the same time in small portions. It is better to drink water before meals for 10 minutes.

Benefits and complications that may arise

The best option for surgical intervention is laparoscopy, which has several advantages:

• recovery of the body after such an operation is faster;
• rapid healing of small wounds;
• intensive care for the patient is shown no more than 2 hours;
• no need to spend a long time in bed;
• complications occur less frequently than with abdominal surgery;
• there are no ugly scars on the skin;
• discharge home earlier.

Of the complications during laparoscopy, the following can be mentioned: trauma to the organs that are near the gallbladder, a puncture of internal organs and an inflammatory process near the navel can be observed. If the patient is overweight, then there is a risk of hernia. It is important to know that weights should not be lifted for 6 months after surgery. Sports activities are not canceled, but a doctor's consultation is required.

Recovery stages after laparoscopy of the gallbladder: postoperative period

The full recovery period of the body lasts about 1-2 years. The human body goes through several stages when its functionality changes. Physical activity after removal of the gallbladder is categorically contraindicated in the next month. This is due to the risk of bleeding and hernia formation. There may also be pain at the site of the seam or puncture.

The patient should use soft underwear so as not to damage the scars, and wear a bandage or not, the attending physician decides on an individual basis. It all depends on how the person feels. The patient is discharged home after the stitches are removed and there are no postoperative complications.

At home, you need to follow all the prescriptions of the doctor. In order to assess the need for physical activity after removal of the gallbladder, it is necessary to conduct such studies:

• it is important to conduct regular examinations by a surgeon or therapist;
• perform laboratory blood tests;
• do an ultrasound scan.

When removing the gallbladder, the postoperative period has strict restrictions. These include the following:

• strong physical activity after discharge for 10 days is prohibited;
• linen should be soft, made of natural fabrics;
• you can not live sexually for about a month;
• for 3 months you can not lift more than 3 kg, then up to 5 kg for another 6 months.

To strengthen the press, it is worth performing certain exercises: “scissors” or “bike”, the load is increased gradually. Walking in the air and breathing exercises are recommended.

Diet after gallbladder removal:

• cooking is steamed, you can also boil or bake foods;
• you need to eat after 3 hours, so that the body gets used to and normalizes the outflow of bile;
• after eating, do not bend over or lie down for 2 hours;
• water consumption should not exceed 1.5 liters per day;
• 3 hours before bedtime is not recommended.

It is advisable to grind the products into a puree before use. Vegetables and fruits are best eaten in a stew, then they are better absorbed. In the postoperative period after removal of the gallbladder, new products should be added gradually.

Normalization of the digestive process

Recovery is complicated by frequent constipation. Vegetables, dairy products help to avoid this. If the situation does not improve, then special medications can be used. These can be laxatives and depressant intestinal motility. The frequent use of enemas is not recommended, as they lead to distension of the colon and the occurrence of dysbacteriosis.

If loose stools are observed, then it is worth eating only cooked vegetables and fruits, cereals boiled in water. Lactose supplements will normalize the intestinal flora. After surgery, the patient may experience the following symptoms for some time: nausea, belching, burning in the liver area, bitterness in the mouth. Usually, over time, they all go away on their own, unless, of course, there are other diseases.

Many are wondering: what to do after removal of the gallbladder . Some doctors prescribe special drugs, for example, Motilium for duodenogastric reflux, Rennie, Maalox, Almagel will help to remove heartburn. If gastric ulcer is observed, then omeprazole is prescribed, which suppresses the secretion of bile. However, the appointment is carried out individually, depending on the clinical picture.

Sanatorium-resort rehabilitation in the postoperative period

The recommendations of many doctors after removal of the gallbladder is to visit sanatoriums and dispensaries, where they offer a therapeutic course of healing the body. The most commonly prescribed procedures are:

• four times the intake of warm mineral water without gas;
• hydrotherapy with carbonic water with the addition of radon or pine needles;
• prescribe electrophoresis with succinic acid;
• physiotherapy exercises are carried out every day;
• a special dietary table unloads the gastrointestinal tract and normalizes digestion.

It is important to know that sanatoriums are shown to patients six months after the operation. The procedures that are carried out in them will speed up recovery and allow you to return to normal life faster.

Features of life after removal of an organ

Many are interested in the question of what is possible after removal of the gallbladder , how life will change in the future and how long a person will live. With the timely intervention of the surgeon, which passed without complications, there is no threat to the body. Subject to the recommendations, patients live long, to a ripe old age and die for completely different reasons.

With an easy and quick recovery, the patient can expand his menu as much as possible. But do not abuse fried, smoked or fatty, but it is better to completely exclude such foods forever. The temperature of the food is very important: only warm foods can be eaten.

You can not lead a passive lifestyle, as this leads to various diseases, stagnation of bile occurs, which can cause the formation of stones again. Swimming and walking are recommended. After a year, all the processes of the body will be reconfigured and will return to normal, and then the person will be able to feel healthy.

Approximately one third of patients suffer from postcholecystectomy syndrome, which is accompanied by indigestion, itching, jaundice and pain. It is necessary to treat such complications in a complex in order to restore the work of the pancreas, liver and biliary tract.

It can be concluded that the rehabilitation period is no less important than the operation itself. It is important to change your eating habits, use drugs and exercise. A good option would be a periodic visit to sanatoriums to improve the body. Observing all these points, a person will be able to return to a full life and feel healthy.