Cholecystectomy Surgery in India : Types and Cost

The gallbladder is a small organ that looks like a pear and is situated beneath the liver on the right portion of the abdomen, which is a storage place for bile that the liver produces. The organ releases the bile in time of digestion into the small intestine.

When the bile inside the gallbladder forms solid stones, then many complications arise. Usually, the organ creates no problem in the human body until the gallbladder has a stone in it. During that time, doctors must take action according to the patient's condition. If medicine cannot help, doctors remove the gallbladder through a surgery called a cholecystectomy.

Doctors perform many types of surgery to remove the gallbladder from your body. Doctors consider the process easy to perform, and most patients can go home after the operation on the same day. But sometimes, doctors take extra care of critical patients. And often, the operation is not risky.

Cholecystectomy

When a surgeon removes the gallbladder from your body, the operation is known as cholecystectomy. The organ stores digestive juice called bile and releases it into the small intestine during digestion. However, when the bile forms crystals commonly known as gallbladder stones, the organ has inflammation and causes extreme pain in the right portion of the belly. At that time, doctors suggested a gallbladder operation to remove the organ.

Generally, surgeons perform two types of removal procedures.

1. Open or traditional procedure:

Open or traditional procedure in this method, the surgeon cuts one single incision of about 4 to 6 inches at the right side of your belly. After that, he seeks the gallbladder and takes that out of your body through that incision.

2. Laparoscopic method:

The surgeon makes 3 to 4 incisions around the belly and uses a laparoscope. It is a thin tube with a camera and surgical tools attached. The surgeon enters the tube into your body and sees the gallbladder on a screen. Then he operates the tools attached to the tube to remove the organ and takes that out through any incision.

During laparoscopy, if the surgeon finds out further complications, then he suggests a traditional method that involves long and deep incisions.

Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery

When you suffer from gallbladder pain, the doctor recommends laparoscopic gallbladder surgery to remove the organ. As the surgery is less invasive and takes less time than traditional gallbladder operation, doctors suggest laparoscopic at most times.

Preparation

Before starting the operation, your doctor will run some tests like:

• Abdominal ultrasound
• Blood tests
• Urinalysis (test of the urine )

Besides the tests, doctors will also talk with you about health-related information such as:

• If you are taking any certain medicines for a disease like blood pressure, sugar, etc
• What options do you have to ease pain after the operation
• The surgeon will also instruct you to not take any food and drink before the surgery for a certain amount of time

After the general tests, the doctor will prepare you for the surgery. You don't need to be scared as they will operate, making you unconscious.

Procedures before the operation

• You will need to remove any jewelry that you are wearing at that time and change your clothing to wear a surgical gown.
• After that, you will lie down on an operation bed.
• Following that, an anesthetist will give you medicine that will put you into a deep sleep.
• At that time, doctors will put one tube into your mouth that goes to your throat for breathing and attach another tube, the IV line, to the arm for delivering medicines and fluid.

Operation Method

• The laparoscopic gallbladder operation requires one to two hours to complete. First, the surgeon makes 3 to 4 small incisions on your abdomen and puts thin pipes in them. Afterward, the surgical team put carbon dioxide into your belly through pipes.
• When the gas enters your abdomen, your belly swells up, and your internal organs become visible to the surgical team.
• Afterward, the surgeon enters the laparoscope through one incision into your belly and other tools through another.
• When he can see the gallbladder clearly on the screen, he uses the tools to cut that from your internal body.
• After cutting, he uses separate tools to remove that gallbladder from your abdomen and takes that out through another incision.
• After completion of the operation, the team removes the laparoscope and tools and seals those incisions with stitches, surgical glue, or surgical clips.

If the surgeon notices complications at any time, he moves towards an open method that involves long incisions.

After the surgery, the doctor's team will keep you under observation for some hours. When you wake up automatically from the unconscious state, they will check your breathing, blood pressure, heart rate, and ability to pee.

Gallbladder Removal Surgery

If a patient has a severe gallbladder condition and the doctor thinks he can not remove the gallbladder by the laparoscopic process, he chooses open gallbladder surgery. Sometimes a patient can have complications, in which the doctor needs to perform an open gallbladder operation to remove the gallbladder.

Doctors also provide tests before the surgery, like ultrasonography, blood tests, and urinalysis. They also note information about medicines the patient takes for other health issues. Besides, doctors will also provide you with suitable options to ease pain after the surgery. In the method, your doctor will ask you not to eat or drink before the operation for a certain amount of time.

Procedure before the operation

The process remains the same as the laparoscopic operation. You will need to remove the jewelry and change your clothing to wear a surgical gown. Following that, the anesthetist will give you medicines to put you to sleep.

Operation method

• The surgeon will make a single 6-inch incision on your right side of the abdomen just below the ribs.
• Then he will pull aside muscles and tissues to see the gallbladder.
• After that, he will cut the gallbladder and take that out of your body.
• When the surgeon completes the removal of the gallbladder, the team will suture the incision, and you will be sent for recovery.
• The open method of gallbladder operation takes about 1 to 2 hours.

Benefits of Gallbladder Removal

Depending upon your condition, the doctor will suggest a laparoscopic or open gallbladder operation for organ removal. As laparoscopic surgery is less invasive, you can have certain benefits from that, such as:

• Less pain
• The procedure is less complicated
• You can recover quickly and have a regular lifestyle in less time
• After the operation, you will have small scars
• Infection chances are also low
• You can recover within 3 to 4 days

When you get rid of the pain causing gallbladder, you will have certain benefits like:

The gallbladder has a bile duct through which the organ releases the bile into the small intestine. Any blockage there can cause inflammation of the gallbladder and, in serious cases, can also rupture the organ. After removing the organ, you will never have any problem related to the gallbladder.

When gallstones are present in the organ, you can feel severe pain that lasts long. Sometimes the pain even continues for days and only stops when stones pass from the bile duct into the small intestine. The situation becomes very critical, and patients often confuse the pain with a heart attack. A gallbladder operation removes the organ and, for that, permanently cures the pain.

Another aspect is that if you have started to develop gallstones in your gallbladder, there is no medication to stop the scenario. The only possible way is to remove your gallbladder by operation so that the organ can not create any further health issues in the body.

Laparoscopic Gallbladder Surgery Cost

You can have the surgery in any prestigious hospital or private nursing home. The cost will vary from place to place. Although in India, the cost range varies from INR 40000 to INR 125000. Within the range, you can complete the surgery.

Also, before booking the appointment, look for health insurance and EMI options in the hospitals. Many private hospitals provide those facilities, so your cost can become low.

How long does it take to rest after gallbladder surgery?

As there are two types of gallbladder operation to remove the organ, the resting time varies with the operation type.

If you have done the laparoscopic method, you will need less resting. Sometimes if the doctors find that the patient has all vital health components like blood pressure, heart rate, etc., in the normal state, he discharges the patient on the same day. But you will need complete bed rest for the next 24 hours. Afterward, you can walk slowly in your house, sit and relax while watching tv. You will need 3 to 4 days to ease the pain and at least two weeks to recover from the operation. After two weeks you can perform desk work. But if you need to do manual work, you will need more rest time.

On the other hand, if you have undergone an open gallbladder operation, you will need to stay in the hospital for the next 3 to 5 days. During that time, the doctor will do regular observations of your health. You will need about 3 to 4 weeks to recover and do your regular work. After that, you can do manual work. But if you need to do manual work, you will require 6 to 8 weeks of rest.

However, in both operations, the patient will need someone to assist him for the next 24 hours because he can still feel dizzy from anesthesia.

Tips After Gallbladder Surgery

Gallbladder operation takes only a few hours to complete, but after that, you need to maintain some rules to recover smoothly and without getting in trouble during the recovery period.

• After reaching home, try to consume liquid food for the first few days. You can have soups, broth, and liquid forms of any healthy food.
• Then slowly add solid foods to your diet and eat non-spicy food. You can add low-fat food during that time.
• You can eat fibrous food at that time but choose the simple fibers you can get from fruits. Complex fiber-containing foods like nuts, cereals, and cruciferous vegetables can cause pain, diarrhea, and other problems.
• During the recovery time, avoid biking, weight-lifting, aerobics exercises, and other physical activities for two weeks. After that time, consult with your doctor and then do such activities.

Bottom Line

Although the gallbladder is a very small organ of the human body, it can cause severe problems if not treated properly. However, in recent days medical science has improved so much that a patient can return to his house the same day after the gallbladder operation(laparoscopic method). Not only that, you can live a normal lifestyle like you used to live after removing the gallbladder. You only need to follow your doctor's instructions during your recovery period; after that, you can return to your normal life.

The surgery is not so costly, and you can use medical health insurance and EMI facilities for the surgery in some reputed private hospitals in India, like Pristine care, Desun Hospital, and others.

Cholecystectomy Surgery FAQs